Building Interdisciplinary and International Partnerships to Provide Comprehensive Services to Human Trafficking Survivors: A Situational Analysis in Ethiopia


Kristen R. Choi, Dana C. Beck & Michelle L. Munro | September 10 | 10:15 - 11:15 AM | Room 2584

Ethiopia is recognized as a hotspot for human trafficking. Survivors of trafficking in Ethiopia face many barriers in accessing and receiving rehabilitation and reintegration services, including posttraumatic mental health disorders, legal or economic issues, and cultural barriers, particularly in regards to stigma around mental health. Furthermore, very few trafficking-specific services are available in Ethiopia.

Using the results of a situational analysis participants will:
Identify gaps in service delivery for survivors of human trafficking in Ethiopia,
Describe how to form international, interdisciplinary partnerships to provide survivor services.
Explain optimal service delivery models for trafficking survivors in Ethiopia.
       We conducted a situational analysis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to address the service needs of human trafficking survivors by incorporating: (1) a systematic review and (2) semi-structured interview with key stakeholders. The purpose of the situational analysis was to identify gaps in service delivery for survivors of human trafficking in Ethiopia using an international, interdisciplinary, survivor-centered partnership and to develop a collaborative plan for addressing those needs. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify gaps in service delivery. Students and researchers from the University of Michigan in the U.S. and from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Ethiopia.
         There was a paucity of research on human trafficking in Ethiopia, and adequate recognition of and response to the problem has not yet been achieved. Overall, the situational analysis suggested that all survivor services in Ethiopia are limited, but that mental health services in particular need expansion. Peer support and nurse-delivered models emerged as optimal frameworks for providing survivor services, given the cultural stigma around mental health and the limitations of mental health services available in Ethiopia. This project aims to create a sustainable, culturally appropriate, survivor-driven clinic in Ethiopia that offers comprehensive legal, health, and social services.

About the Presenters