Authorities in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria should investigate and close down networks that traffic Nigerian women and girls to Côte d’Ivoire for forced prostitution, Human Rights Watch has said. It also called for collaboration among regional neighbours to improve border efforts to combat trafficking.

In July 2010, Human Rights Watch traveled to three Ivorian towns and met with groups totaling around 30 Nigerian women believed to have been trafficked for prostitution. Eight victims were interviewed individually. Scores of similar cases involving Nigerian women and girls were documented by interviews with Ivorian officials, United Nations personnel, and Nigerian embassy staff. Many victims were either between the ages of 15 and 17 or had been minors when brought to Côte d’Ivoire.

“These women and girls were sold dreams of migrating to better their lives, but then found themselves in a personal hell,” said Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Ivorian and Nigerian authorities need to find and prosecute the perpetrators, work with regional neighbors to shut down their operations, and do more to protect the victims.”