Assessing the influence of Rural –Urban migration on human trafficking in Rwanda

Abstract

Throughout the world, movement of people has been taking place from the rural characterized by deprivation to the urban mostly endowed with social amenities and economic advancement. As rural-urban influx continues, urban infrastructure is put on strain and this culminates into urban poverty which is a favorable condition for human trafficking. The study indicates that there is a close relationship between rural-urban migration and human trafficking in Rwanda. This is clearly shown by domestic workers, girls and women who flock the urban with hopes for economic advancement but only to suffer prostitution and human trafficking at a later stage. Lee’s migration theory which used push and pull factors was applied to explain the relationship between rural-urban migration and human trafficking. About 7,000 children left the rural to the urban and are potential recruits for human trafficking. Data was collected and analyzed by use of documentary method. Findings indicate there a very close relationship between rural-urban migration and human trafficking. To reduce human trafficking one needs to reverse ruralurban migration by applying rural development projects such as creation of basic social and economic infrastructure as well as promotion of non-farm income sectors in rural areas.