Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which employs more than 80% of the population, and is vulnerable to external shocks, particularly climate shocks, irregular migration patterns and high urbanisation. These are some of the factors fuelling human trafficking in the country.According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) data, Malawi is both a source and transit country for people trafficking. In Malawi, traffickers generally lure victims from the southern part of the…
Habiba Osman
Habiba Osman
Habiba Osman is a lawyer whose work has focused on human rights, gender, and governance. Habiba is the current Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Commission in Malawi, a Constitutional body that promotes, protects, and investigates human rights violations in the broadest sense possible, including advising the government on all areas of human rights. Habiba serves on several boards, regionally and internationally. Habiba has previously worked for the UN and other international organisations as a gender and human rights specialist and advisor. She currently serves as an ambassador for the global youth against slavery movement, as an advisor to the World Leaders for Mental Health platform, and has also been recognised as the Vital Voices Top 100 Women in the world (2016).
