Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Zimbabwe (Ratification: 1998)
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 - Zimbabwe (Ratification: 2019)

The Committee welcomes the ratification by Zimbabwe of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930. Noting that the first report of the Government has not been received, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the application of the Protocol, in accordance with the report form adopted by the Governing Body.

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) received on 27 September 2023.

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. 1. National policy. The Committee notes that, according to the ITUC, human trafficking is still taking place in the country, including through the abduction of adults and children. The ITUC also indicates that little progress has been made in the implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Act since its adoption in 2014.The ITUC further observes that there is still a lack of awareness on the issue of trafficking in persons, as well as limited policies and programmes in place to assist and protect victims of trafficking.

The Committee notes in this regard the Government’s information, in its report, that a new National Action Plan (NAP) to combat human trafficking was launched in July 2023, for the period 2023 to 2028. The Committee also notes the Government’s information that an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was established to ensure the coherent and effective implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Act, 2014. The IMC is subdivided into the four thematic pillars of prevention, prosecution, protection and partnerships.

The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to combat trafficking in persons and requests it to provide information on the action of the IMC and on the specific measures taken to ensure the proper implementation of the NAP 2023–2028 and of the Trafficking in Persons Act, 2014. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in this regard as well as on the assessment of the implementation of the NAP, indicating the results achieved and the challenges encountered.

2. Identification and protection of victims. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that the protection pillar of the IMC subcommittee has provided repatriation and reintegration services to 107 victims who were trafficked to countries in the Middle East (104 women and 3 men). The victims were given psychosocial support and reintegration packages, and follow-up visits were undertaken to supervise the progress of their reintegration. The Government further indicates that it has established two Migrant Resource Centres in Harare and Bulawayo, the major functions of which are to raise awareness of human trafficking and combat unethical and unfair recruitment by traffickers.

The Committee further notes that Part III of the Trafficking in Persons Act, 2014, mandates the Minister responsible for social services to ensure that at least one centre for victims of trafficking is established in each province. Among other things, these centres must secure the safety of victims from any harm by their traffickers, and offer services such as counselling, rehabilitation, reintegration and care.

The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure adequate identification and protection of victims of trafficking for both labour and sexual exploitation, and to continue to provide information on the measures taken in this regard, including on assistance and repatriation of victims. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the progress made in establishing the centres for victims of trafficking in each province of the country, as envisaged under the Trafficking in Persons Act, as well as on the number of victims of trafficking who have benefited from protection, rehabilitation and reintegration services provided by these centres.

3. Prosecution and application of penalties. The Committee notes the Government’s information that various awareness-raising campaigns supported by the Ministry of Information have increased public awareness on human trafficking and resulted in the public giving tips to law enforcement bodies. This has in turn led to an increase in the prosecution of offenders. The Government indicates that 15 offenders were prosecuted and 4 convicted and sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 36 months to 70 years.

The Committee requests the Government to continue strengthening the capacity of law enforcement bodies to effectively identify, investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking in persons, including through measures aimed at enhancing their skills and knowledge and improving their ability to proactively detect cases of trafficking. Lastly, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the number of cases of trafficking in persons, for both sexual and labour exploitation, that have been detected and investigated by the competent authorities, along with the number and nature of convictions and penalties imposed under the Trafficking in Persons Act, 2014.

Articles 1(1) and 2(1). Legislation concerning vagrancy. In its previous comments, the Committee took note of certain sections of the Vagrancy Act (Cap. 10:25) and observed that these provisions were worded in such general terms as to lend themselves to application as a means of indirect compulsion to work (sections 2(a) and (b) and 7(1)). The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Vagrancy Act will be repealed.

The Committee firmly hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures, without delay, to ensure that the Vagrancy Act will be repealed or amended, to remove from the national legislation any provisions whose application have the consequence of compelling persons to work or to limit such provisions to situations where the persons concerned disturb public order or tranquillity or engage in unlawful activities.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.