The Church and Human Trafficking in Ghana

Researchers around the world estimate that there are between 21 million and 29 million slaves in the world today, and while many countries are working to eradicate this 35 million dollar industry, countries in Africa find themselves in a situation where the funding toward anti-trafficking is one of the first things to be cut. In Ghana, where Dr. Stephanie Sandberg has conducted research on anti-trafficking efforts, institutions like the International Justice Mission and Challenging Heights are turning toward the churches in the country for some help. Indeed, the government of Ghana has cut spending on anti-human trafficking for the past four years, leaving law enforcement short on resources. In a series of sixty interviews partially funded by a Nagel Fellowship in 2015, Dr. Sandberg discussed anti-human trafficking with state and international agencies, church leaders, and educators about their knowledge of slavery in the country, and what the church is doing or is willing to do to combat this growing national problem. In her lecture, Dr. Sandberg will demonstrate how the church has become resistant toward working on this problem, and where some of these attitudes come from, and how encouragement toward change in church leadership might happen. 

Sponsored by the Nagel Institute.

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