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The paper seeks to highlight the challenges faced by women street vendors in Zimbabwe. The paper provides an overview of the brutal attitudes displayed toward women and young girl vendors by law enforcement agencies in Zimbabwe. Street vending is an important source of income for the poor in the developing world. Street vending activities contribute to the livelihoods of millions of people and to national wellbeing at large, especially in developing countries. Secondary sources including journals, newspapers and online news articles were used in the compilation of this study. These sources were analysed for any insights into women street vendors’ socio-economic status, police treatment of street vendors and working conditions. Street vendors experience arbitrary arrests, harassment, and confiscation of their wares and the government continues to move them out of the town and cities structures despite the unavailability of alternative accommodation. is a need for the government of Zimbabwe to see economic and social rights as a priority and the government should also protect women and girls from police brutality. Without the state’s protection, women and young girls who ply their trade in the street will remain in a state of harassment, beatings and arbitrary arrest by the police.

Globally, access to HIV services by key populations has always been a challenge even prior the emergence of Coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19). With reference to Zimbabwe, sex workers experienced challenges in accessing HIV services as was exacerbated by the pandemic and related lockdown restrictions. In the given context, it was critical to develop innovative approaches to increase female sex workers’ access to HIV treatment. Such approaches help prevent treatment interruption and contribute to HIV epidemic control. The study aimed to explore and describe the innovative approaches that were adopted to enhance HIV service delivery among female sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design was used to attain the study’s objective. Ten purposefully sampled participants were individually interviewed following a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analysed using Colaizzi’s seven steps. The research findings yielded the following themes: participants received differentiated HIV service delivery through community-based outreach, virtual psychosocial interventions, and support systems through peers, family, and institutions. The innovative approaches to promote HIV service delivery during COVID-19 enhanced female sex workers’ access to differentiated person-centred care and promoted treatment continuity. Community workers were also vital in supporting their peers’ treatment adherence. The lessons drawn from this study are critical and can be utilised in different settings.

This article explored police methods and challenges in the identification of human trafficking activities by the South African Police Service (SAPS). A qualitative research method was employed in this study that used semi-structured interviews to collect data. Participants were sourced from three key stakeholder groups: (1) the SAPS (Headquarters), (2) Sunnyside Community Service Centre, and (3) Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) officials with expertise related to human trafficking. This sample comprised 15 participants and a purposive sampling procedure was adopted. The study found that there are various methods of identifying human trafficking identified by the SAPS in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). Furthermore, the findings highlighted that human trafficking has a national dimension despite that trafficking could occur within the same province or policing area. However, it remains a concern that policing methods to reduce the scourge are not effectively implemented hence an increased rate of human trafficking not only in the CTMM policing area but in many parts of South Africa. It was also found that in the process of identifying human trafficking activities, the SAPS is often faced with various challenges that may be linked to ineffective implementation of methods of identifying human trafficking activities

Human trafficking has plagued the rights of many people worldwide, and it has continually put their protection in jeopardy. Thus, a need to explore the challenges and barriers encountered by stakeholders such as the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to respond to this scourge remains essential. The study understood the obstacles to combatting human trafficking in Durban Metropolitan through in-depth interviews. The findings of this study revealed loopholes in measurements of human trafficking; for instance, instability in partnerships of relevant stakeholders adversely impacts the fight against the menace of human trafficking. Also, current resources are perceived to be minimal to match the severity of this crime. As a recommendation, SAPS and NGOs should advance their technological capacities, and acquiring appropriate knowledge and regular training of officials should remain the focal point of any response to human trafficking. Moreover, technological advancement should match or surpass the sophistication in crime commission to rapidly identify human traffickers and victimisation instances.

The National Crime Prevention Strategy Pillar is aimed at reducing crime by focusing on crime across borders, amongst which is the trafficking of persons. This study aims to analyse the vulnerabilities of children to trafficking in South Africa. A qualitative research approach was used to explain the vulnerabilities of child trafficking in our society. Data was collected using a secondary data collection method wherein information was obtained from published materials and reports. The findings reveal that poverty, unemployment and lack of education increase the likelihood of child trafficking. Poverty is the main factor, particularly in underdeveloped and rural regions of South Africa. Therefore, families facing economic hardship are easily deceived by traffickers, especially those unaware of trafficking risks. It revealed that awareness campaigns and school programs are the key strategies to prevent child trafficking by educating families and learners on trafficking risks. It also recommends expanding education efforts and increasing economic support to address a major influence of trafficking poverty. Therefore, concluding that successful public outreach and awareness campaigns can aid in the detection of human trafficking cases, increase public support for local and governmental action, and eventually aid in the prevention of child trafficking.

The National Crime Prevention Strategy Pillar is aimed at reducing crime by focusing on crime across borders, amongst which is the trafficking of persons. This study aims to analyse the vulnerabilities of children to trafficking in South Africa. A qualitative research approach was used to explain the vulnerabilities of child trafficking in our society. Data was collected using a secondary data collection method wherein information was obtained from published materials and reports. The findings reveal that poverty, unemployment and lack of education increase the likelihood of child trafficking. Poverty is the main factor, particularly in underdeveloped and rural regions of South Africa. Therefore, families facing economic hardship are easily deceived by traffickers, especially those unaware of trafficking risks. It revealed that awareness campaigns and school programs are the key strategies to prevent child trafficking by educating families and learners on trafficking risks. It also recommends expanding education efforts and increasing economic support to address a major influence of trafficking poverty. Therefore, concluding that successful public outreach and awareness campaigns can aid in the detection of human trafficking cases, increase public support for local and governmental action, and eventually aid in the prevention of child trafficking.

Sex motivated by economic exchange is a major public health problem which predisposes individuals to HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases. The current study explored the psychosocial challenges faced by young females dating sugar daddies. A qualitative approach using a case study design was employed. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participant, data was collected through semi-structured interviews using an interview guide and thematic content analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the contributory factors/ reasons for young females dating sugar daddies are the need for financial support, emotional maturity of the sugar daddies, materialistic gain, peer influence, stress reduction, an innate desire for a father figure and the young female’s poverty/impoverished conditions. Additionally, the results showed that young females face challenges when dating sugar daddies which include risk of contracting sexually-transmitted infections, lack of emotional attachment and poor academic performance. Awareness campaigns and educational programs were identified as strategies to aid reduce females’ trend of dating sugar daddies. The current study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge on a psychological understanding of the phenomenon and efforts should be made to work with the community to reduce the transactional sex pandemic. 

Globally, access to HIV services by key populations has always been a challenge even prior the emergence of Coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19). With reference to Zimbabwe, sex workers experienced challenges in accessing HIV services as was exacerbated by the pandemic and related lockdown restrictions. In the given context, it was critical to develop innovative approaches to increase female sex workers’ access to HIV treatment. Such approaches help prevent treatment interruption and contribute to HIV epidemic control. The study aimed to explore and describe the innovative approaches that were adopted to enhance HIV service delivery among female sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design was used to attain the study’s objective. Ten purposefully sampled participants were individually interviewed following a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analysed using Colaizzi’s seven steps. The research findings yielded the following themes: participants received differentiated HIV service delivery through community-based outreach, virtual psychosocial interventions, and support systems through peers, family, and institutions. The innovative approaches to promote HIV service delivery during COVID-19 enhanced female sex workers’ access to differentiated person-centred care and promoted treatment continuity. Community workers were also vital in supporting their peers’ treatment adherence. The lessons drawn from this study are critical and can be utilised in different settings.

This article explored police methods and challenges in the identification of human trafficking activities by the South African Police Service (SAPS). A qualitative research method was employed in this study that used semi-structured interviews to collect data. Participants were sourced from three key stakeholder groups: (1) the SAPS (Headquarters), (2) Sunnyside Community Service Centre, and (3) Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) officials with expertise related to human trafficking. This sample comprised 15 participants and a purposive sampling procedure was adopted. The study found that there are various methods of identifying human trafficking identified by the SAPS in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). Furthermore, the findings highlighted that human trafficking has a national dimension despite that trafficking could occur within the same province or policing area. However, it remains a concern that policing methods to reduce the scourge are not effectively implemented hence an increased rate of human trafficking not only in the CTMM policing area but in many parts of South Africa. It was also found that in the process of identifying human trafficking activities, the SAPS is often faced with various challenges that may be linked to ineffective implementation of methods of identifying human trafficking activities

Human trafficking has plagued the rights of many people worldwide, and it has continually put their protection in jeopardy. Thus, a need to explore the challenges and barriers encountered by stakeholders such as the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to respond to this scourge remains essential. The study understood the obstacles to combatting human trafficking in Durban Metropolitan through in-depth interviews. The findings of this study revealed loopholes in measurements of human trafficking; for instance, instability in partnerships of relevant stakeholders adversely impacts the fight against the menace of human trafficking. Also, current resources are perceived to be minimal to match the severity of this crime. As a recommendation, SAPS and NGOs should advance their technological capacities, and acquiring appropriate knowledge and regular training of officials should remain the focal point of any response to human trafficking. Moreover, technological advancement should match or surpass the sophistication in crime commission to rapidly identify human traffickers and victimisation instances.