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Policy brief on Baby Factory: A Modernized Form
of Human Trafficking in Nigeria
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is the trade of humans, most commonly for the purpose of slavery,
forced labour, or commercial sexual exploitation. According to the UN Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children,
Supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational (2000), it’s an organized
crime involving the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of
persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction,
of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the
giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having
control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Background
Nigeria ratified the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish trafficking in Persons,
especially Women and children in 2001 and passed a national law against trafficking
entitled “trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) law enforcement and administration act
2003.” Nigeria is one of the few African countries that passed such a law. Nigeria also
passed the child rights act in 2003, which deals comprehensively with the issue of
child trafficking. Despite these initiatives, human trafficking remains a critical problem
in Nigeria.
However, recent happenings indicate that the Nigerian child and women are facing
new and challenging sources of abuse brought about by human trafficking networks in
the country coined by the media as Baby Factory. It’s being described as an ugly
situation becoming endemic across the country. The term has been used to describe
a location where women are encouraged or forced to become pregnant and sell off
their babies at agreed prices. These illegal establishments often operate under the
guise of clinics, orphanages and shelters for homeless people; unknown to the
ordinary eye, that they engage in the sales and purchases of babies between the ages
of a day to twelve months. The victims are mostly pregnant or kidnapped women and
girls aged 14-25 years who are lured through deception and/or offers of cash in
exchange for their yet unborn children.
The growing awareness of adoption among Nigerians has given rise to a high demand
for children. People who desire to have children but are unable to conceive now resort
to seeking means where they can obtain children. However, the procedures involved
in legal adoptions are long and tedious and most would-be adopters often end up
discouraged. By default, the demand for quick and easy mediums of obtaining
children without the stress of the due process is created. This demand has created
room for the rise, spread and prevalence of what is known as baby factories.
The perpetrators of this commercialization of women and children cut across gender
and status. They are often people who are known to and trusted by the victims,
whereas the proprietors of the establishments are mostly people with medical
background masking under the guise of offering medical aid, or provision of shelter or
welfare for destitute women. Some who are already pregnant are kidnapped by skilled
recruiting agents who promise them safety and monetary incentives in exchange for
their unborn babies. Others are sourced directly by medical personnel who offer
alternatives to abortion; while others are raped and lured into the trade by male
members of the syndicate.
Poverty shame
Stigmatization deception
Lack of family support
Trauma Rape
Lack of mother – daughter
communication

2. Furthermore, some women and girls who get
pregnant out of wedlock turn to baby factories owners with
the aim of selling their children in order avoid the stigma and
shame associated with pre-marital pregnancies in the Nigerian
culture. Unfortunately, they end up being held by the
recruiters against their wishes.
Effects of Baby Factory on Girls and Women
Women and Girls who are forced to live in baby factories are
exposed to systematic rape and physical abuse that destroy
their self-esteem and dignity;
 Gender based violence against girls and women;
 Mothers are forcefully separated from their infants;
 Baby factories is an infringement on the sexual and
reproductive rights of women and girls;
 Forceful alienation of infants from their parents;
 Girls held in baby factories are denied access to education;
 Women/girls held in baby factories are often raped
repeatedly.
Factors responsible for the increase in Baby Factories:
A number of factors have been identified as being
responsible for the rise and prevalence of baby factories. A
recent survey carried out by Alliances for Africa (AfA) in
Owerri, Imo State showed that most women are of the
opinion that not only do baby factories save women and girls
from the social stigma of pre-marital pregnancies, but they
also relieve them from the burden of raising children,
provide shelter and feeding for homeless women/girls, and
provide opportunities for babies to be adopted by wealthy
individuals. Added to these,
a) Poverty was identified as the most visible cause of
the vulnerability of women and children to trafficking;
b) Government’s inaction in sexual assault crimes was
also identified as a factor that facilitates the continued
existence of baby factories;
c) The absence of support systems across Nigeria
stimulates the growth of baby factories. When victims of rape
and other forms of sexual assault are without access to proper
counsel and medical aid which helps in attaining a wholesome
recovery, they fall easy prey to baby factories agents who
offer promises of escape from a life of abuse only for them to
be exploited and dehumanized all over again;
d) The persistence of harmful cultural practices.
Recommendations
There is a continuing need for the further ratification
and implementation of international legislation along with the
use of national legal tools currently available to fight trafficking
of humans;
That security agents in Imo State embark on an
intensive raid to comb out the various hideouts and locations
of baby factories within the state so as to eliminate the illegal
detention, trade in and trafficking of babies;
That the state government collaborate with Non-
Governmental Organizations and Community-Based
Organizations in rehabilitating women and girls rescued from
baby factories in order to disabuse their minds and reorient
the perverted perspective they may have developed in the
course of being detained by traffickers;
That rescued victims of baby factories be
empowered and engaged in income generating activities so as
to be able to cater for their own needs and to avoid falling
prey to the baits set by baby factory owners;
That sexually active teenage girls are educated on
the use of contraceptives so as to prevent unwanted or pre-
marital pregnancies. Also, that access to contraception is made
easy and inexpensive;
That a comprehensive and thorough victim support
system is put in place to cater to the medical, emotional,
physical, social and psychological needs of women and girls
who have been sexually assaulted.
Conclusion
The growth of baby factories which has resulted to the loss,
trafficking, abuse, exploitation and dehumanization of young
women and children requires concerted efforts if it is to be
curbed. To better combat this anomaly and the attendant
damaging effects that are widespread in the Nigerian
society, the energies, talents and resources of government,
international organizations, NGO and Civil servant society
and the general public will be required.
About Alliances for Africa
Alliances for Africa (AfA), is an African-led international
Non-Governmental Organization which focuses on human
rights, peace and sustainable development. AfA aims at
enhancing and strengthening on a sustainable basis, local,
national, sub-regional and regional institutions in Africa that
are active in the monitoring, advancing, promoting and
protecting of human rights, peace and sustainable
development initiatives.
AfA works with partners in, around and beyond the
continent of Africa to advocate for protection of human
rights; promotion of women’s participation in leadership and
governance; building institutional capacity, advocating for
gender justice, equality and non-discrimination, as well as
promoting peace, security and conflict resolution
interventions. For more details about AfA work please
contact us at ALLIANCES FOR AFRICA: 58B Awoniyi
Elemo Street, Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos. Telephone: +234-
08161576782 (Lagos); +234- 08168702759 (Owerri). Email:
afa@alliancesforafrica.org. Visit our website on
www.alliancesforafrica.org or follow us on @AfAafrica;
alliances for Africa;
alliancesforafrica@blogspot.com.ng