Ethiopia : The Digital Trap -Investigative Feature

By Tesfaye Worku Journalism and Communication Professionals Association Ethiopia (JCPAE)

A smartphone can open a door to opportunity. It can also become a tool used by criminals to deceive vulnerable people.

Across Ethiopia, technology is becoming increasingly connected to the way traffickers recruit and exploit people. Social-media accounts, messaging services and online job advertisements can make false promises appear convincing, while allowing recruiters to communicate quickly and anonymously.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has documented how traffickers around the world use the internet to identify, contact and recruit potential victims. Technology can also help criminals organize transportation and accommodation and communicate across borders.

Ethiopia’s trafficking risks are closely connected to economic pressure, migration and limited employment opportunities.