Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
News Items
2020-11-30 |
Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award for UFS’ Zubeida Jaffer |
2020-11-30 |
Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award for UFS’ Zubeida Jaffer |
2020-11-30 |
Symposium provides course of action for good water management |
2020-11-30 |
Symposium provides course of action for good water management |
2020-11-27 |
Triple book bonanza for UFS Creative Writing programme |
2020-11-27 |
Triple book bonanza for UFS Creative Writing programme |
2020-11-26 |
The health of your mind matters |
2020-11-26 |
The health of your mind matters |
2020-11-25 |
16 Days of Activism in Lockdown |
2020-11-25 |
16 Days of Activism in Lockdown |
2020-11-25 |
Message from the UFS Dean of Student Affairs concerning the 2021 SRC elections |
2020-11-25 |
Message from the UFS Dean of Student Affairs concerning the 2021 SRC elections |
2020-11-25 |
‘It was a privilege to work for the UFS’ |
2020-11-25 |
‘It was a privilege to work for the UFS’ |
2020-11-25 |
New levels of understanding emerge when seemingly unrelated fields of interest intersect |
2020-11-25 |
New levels of understanding emerge when seemingly unrelated fields of interest intersect |
2020-11-25 |
GBV: Lessons from a Pandemic |
2020-11-25 |
GBV: Lessons from a Pandemic |
2020-11-25 |
Eighteen from UFS on Stanford University’s list of leading researchers |
2020-11-25 |
Eighteen from UFS on Stanford University’s list of leading researchers |
2020-11-24 |
Faculty of Health Sciences celebrates history in new book |
2020-11-24 |
Faculty of Health Sciences celebrates history in new book |
2020-11-23 |
Prof Abdon Atangana named in world's top 1% list of scientists |
2020-11-23 |
Prof Abdon Atangana named in world's top 1% list of scientists |
2020-11-20 |
Passionate Entrepreneurs win Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards |
2020-11-20 |
Passionate Entrepreneurs win Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards |
2020-11-18 |
UFS team makes it to top four in CFA University Research Challenge |
2020-11-18 |
UFS team makes it to top four in CFA University Research Challenge |
2020-11-18 |
(Re)moving, (Re)naming, (Re)forming, and (Re)presenting: Webinar shines spotlight on signs, symbolism, and statues |
2020-11-18 |
(Re)moving, (Re)naming, (Re)forming, and (Re)presenting: Webinar shines spotlight on signs, symbolism, and statues |
2020-11-18 |
UFS launches R8 million US Embassy and Consulates-funded research project |
2020-11-18 |
UFS launches R8 million US Embassy and Consulates-funded research project |
2020-11-18 |
South Africa adopts innovative Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education |
2020-11-18 |
South Africa adopts innovative Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education |
2020-11-17 |
World Prematurity Day, 84,000 babies born premature in South Africa |
2020-11-17 |
World Prematurity Day, 84,000 babies born premature in South Africa |
2020-11-17 |
Tokenised celebrations of black womanist leaders negate their success |
2020-11-17 |
Tokenised celebrations of black womanist leaders negate their success |
2020-11-16 |
Webinar: Intersection between science and entrepreneurship |
2020-11-16 |
Webinar: Intersection between science and entrepreneurship |
2020-11-13 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: Predictions for 2021 |
2020-11-13 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: Predictions for 2021 |
2020-11-13 |
ISG researcher awarded prestigious Colin Murray Prize |
2020-11-13 |
ISG researcher awarded prestigious Colin Murray Prize |
2020-11-12 |
Building a university where everyone can succeed |
2020-11-12 |
Building a university where everyone can succeed |
2020-11-11 |
Student Affairs wants to hear your voice |
2020-11-11 |
Student Affairs wants to hear your voice |
2020-11-06 |
Odeion alumna offers free online music classes to Grade 12s |
2020-11-06 |
Odeion alumna offers free online music classes to Grade 12s |
2020-11-05 |
US Embassy and Consulates invests R8 million in UFS mountain-to-mountain research project |
2020-11-05 |
US Embassy and Consulates invests R8 million in UFS mountain-to-mountain research project |
2020-11-05 |
Prof Moffett publishes new book on mountain research |
2020-11-05 |
Prof Moffett publishes new book on mountain research |
2020-11-05 |
Medical student’s photo highly commended at international competition |
2020-11-05 |
Medical student’s photo highly commended at international competition |
2020-11-04 |
UFS partner in design for groundwater monitoring network for Central Karoo |
2020-11-04 |
UFS partner in design for groundwater monitoring network for Central Karoo |
2020-11-04 |
#EndSARS: Frustration among Nigeria’s youth and the poor |
2020-11-04 |
#EndSARS: Frustration among Nigeria’s youth and the poor |
2020-11-02 |
Next level awaits Lefébre in Europe |
2020-11-02 |
Next level awaits Lefébre in Europe |
UFS’s Unit for Children’s Rights instrumental in helping human trafficked victim
2010-03-29
|
Adv. Beatri Kruger.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs |
“Wheeling and dealing is part of our daily life. But what if the ‘product’ bought or sold is not a spanner or a cell phone, but a living human being? Disturbing news came to the fore... apart from other places in the country, and for that matter all over the world, it was discovered that people are treated like commodities here in Bloemfontein as well,” said Adv. Beatri Kruger from the Unit for Children’s Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS).
Adv. Kruger was instrumental in completing and availing the first comprehensive Research Report on Human Trafficking in South Africa to the public on 23 March 2010. As a member of the Reference Group advising on interim research reports on human trafficking, she contributed to the report. The report proves to be an extremely valuable tool for, among others, government departments and non-governmental organisations that use it as a guideline in planning interventions to combat human trafficking.
The Unit for Children’s Rights is also one of the founding members of the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF). To react on and fight the disturbing reality of human trafficking more efficiently, a number of concerned role players such as Child Welfare and other non-governmental organisations, police officials, prosecutors, social workers, health practitioners, private businesses, churches and community organisations joined forces and formed the FHF. The Unit for Children’s Rights hosts monthly meetings at the UFS to facilitate the coordination of this multi-disciplinary counter-trafficking team.
Adv. Kruger is very excited about some of the successes of the FHF; such as the story of Soma (not her real name). This Indian woman was recruited in India by an Indian couple who are staying in South Africa, by promising her a good job in South Africa. However, instead of finding the promised job, Soma was extensively exploited for labour purposes. With the help of a “good Samaritan” she managed to escape from the perpetrators and fled to the police. Soma was removed to ensure her safety and accommodated in a safe place in Bloemfontein. Counselling and other services were rendered to her by an organisation which is also a member of the FHF. One of the challenges facing Soma and the service providers was that Soma speaks a foreign dialect and for weeks a trusted interpreter could not be found.
This obstacle rendered communication with her to the bare minimum. The perpetrators were arrested but unfortunately the new comprehensive counter-trafficking law is not in force yet. Therefore the perpetrators could only be convicted of some offences in the Immigration Act. However, due to good police investigation followed by shrewd consultations, the perpetrators agreed to pay for the victim’s return flight to India as well as for the flight ticket of the investigating officer to escort her to safety. The Unit for Children’s Rights did networking with Ms Maria Nikolovska of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), who agreed to assist in the safe reintegration of Soma in India. Soma is now on her way back home. |