Human trafficking survivor to address UN General Assembly

SOUTH Africa’s Grizelda Grootboom‚ a human trafficking survivor‚ has been invited to address the UN General Assembly.

Grootboom’s story caught national headlines when it was included in a TV exposé on human trafficking‚ and in 2016 she published a memoir‚ Exit! She will speak at a two-day meeting of the General Assembly, being held “to appraise progress achieved in the implementation of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons”.

“As a survivor leader it would be an honour to have you deliver a five to seven-minute speech alongside the UN president of the General Assembly [Miroslav Lajcák of Slova the UN secretary-general [António Guterres] and other esteemed leaders in our shared effort to end trafficking in humans‚” says an e-mail to Grootboom from Lajcák’s office.

Grootboom was trafficked at the age of 18, after she was betrayed by a friend who tricked her into moving to Johannesburg.

She was locked up‚ drugged‚ beaten and repeatedly raped. In one inst she was assaulted so badly that she woke up in hospital a month later. She was forced to work as a sex slave for about 10 years.

Grootboom said she was grateful for the invitation. “It’s overwhelming [to be part of crafting a plan against] human trafficking‚” she said.

Although her address was important to her‚ contributing to a global plan to combat trafficking was even more vital. “[We] need to make sure the plan must have strict feedback and accountability.”

Grootboom said it was crucial to involve human trafficking survivors because they had first-hand knowledge of the problem.

“Awareness is good‚ but public education could be [better] and skilling survivors ... to be there on the frontlines ... is the most important thing.” — DDC