Labor Trafficking Causes and Prevention Approaches: A Cross-Country Comparison of Perspectives Among Youth and Young Adults and Key Informants In Malawi and Zambia

Background: Labor trafficking is estimated to impact 28 million people globally. Economic vulnerabilities including, scarcity, food insecurity and experiencing economic shocks, are generally understood to be the primary drivers of labor trafficking. Labor trafficking, especially linked to economic migration, has been found to be a concern within Malawi and Zambia. The focus of this qualitative, cross-country comparative study is to identify how labor trafficking causes and solutions for prevention may be perceived differently by Malawian and Zambian youth and young adults (YYAs) and key informants (KIIs; e.g., government officials and NGO staff).

Methods: We conducted a qualitative, thematic analysis using a matrix as a structuring tool. Data were originally collected as part of a large-scale, mixed-methods prevalence estimation study. For the current study, we analyzed data from a total of 176 participants (53 in Malawi and 123 in Zambia). An analysis matrix was built by exporting participant responses to interview questions about perceived causes of labor trafficking and perceived prevention approaches. Responses were compared first across countries (e.g. responses from YYAs in Malawi were compared to responses from YYAs in Zambia) and then between respondent groups (e.g., responses from YYAs compared to responses from KIIs).

Findings: The analysis revealed that YYAs and KIIs in Malawi and Zambia have a similar viewpoint about the causes of labor trafficking, as primarily being driven by poverty, unemployment and having unmet basic needs. However, participants in Malawi emphasized cyclical vulnerability and system gaps that expose people to risk while Zambian participants stressed the impact of weak labor markets and governance failure, shaped by informality of labor sector, limited knowledge about labor rights among YYAs and, weak enforcement. The cross-country comparison indicates that while there is convergence of views about economic drivers being the cause of labor trafficking vulnerability, there is divergence of views about how that vulnerability is produced and maintained.

YYAs and KIIs also differ in how they explain the economic drivers. YYAs primarily describe trafficking from an experience perspective—discussing what pushes young people into risky labor situations and economic migration. Whereas KIIs tend to explain trafficking risk from a systemic, institutional, or structural vantage point, often linking individual experiences to policy, labor markets, and governance gaps. In describing prevention approaches there is a similar pattern, in that YYAs focus on tangible, in the moment, survivor-anchored interventions that would change (or expand) young people’s options. Whereas KIIs emphasize systematic coordination of interventions as well as enforcement of labor laws as primary for prevention of labor trafficking.

Implications: Collectively, the perspectives suggest that effective prevention must layer contextually relevant and responsive solutions including: livelihoods and social protection as preventative approaches to promote stabilization of households and accountable enforcement to address exploitation and violations of labor laws.