Abstract

From a global media perspective, not since World War Two have there been such vast magnitudes of human beings, desperately seeking to escape persecution, conflict, war, famine, environmental degradation and economic malaise brought about through conflict, corruption and bad governance. By the end of 2015, 65.3 million men, women, children and the elderly were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced persons (IDPs)—an increase of 5 million in a single year and the highest level ever recorded. From a forced migration perspective the UNHCR notes that this figure represents one in every 113 people on the planet, displaced in 2015 from their homes and that 12.4 million persons were newly displaced by conflict or persecution, and 24 people per minute were forced to flee. Half of all refugees are children under 18 years of age. Despite the massive focus, hype and global media attention on “Europe’s migrant crisis” the overwhelming number of refugees and migrants are not in Europe. UNHCR confirms that 86 percent of the world’s refugees are being sheltered in low- and middle-income countries, countries that are significantly less well off economically. Turkey is the hostcountry with the most refugees worldwide, with 2.5 million people, trailed by Pakistan and Lebanon with Libya not far behind.This extensive, original fieldwork based chapter monitoring human trafficking routes across sub-Saharan Africa focuses on the pivotal role of Libya, seen as a gateway or conduit to Europe. Rather than searching for solutions from European or Western perspectives it examines the regional impact of human trafficking and forced migration from rare perspectives and recommendations voiced by Libyan nationals and researchers.