Ajwang' Warria

Biography

Prior to joining academia, Ajwang’ worked in the counter-human trafficking field in southern Africa and practiced as a social worker with migrant children and their families and with children living and working on the streets. As a child rights-based development advocate, she was part of working groups (coordinated South African government departments), which were instrumental in creating counter-trafficking and child protection legislation and policies. She continues to provide her expertise as an advisory board member on a project spearheaded by the International Rescue Committee and UNICEF and as a Think Tank member with the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF).

Publications

Publications from 2018-Present

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Bhatia, A., Fabbri, C., Cerna-Turoff, I., Turner, E., Lokot, M., Warria, A. Tuladhar, S., Tanton, C., Knight, L., Lees, S., Cislaghi, B., Bhabha, J., Peterman, A., Guedes, A. & Devries, K. (2021). COVID-19 and violence against children: Lessons for policy, practice and research. WHO Bulletin, 99(10), 730–738. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.283051

Warria, A. (2021). Exploring narratives of three South African fathers with children in care: Insights for consideration. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2021.1908869

Chadambuka, C. & Warria, A. (2021). Intimate partner violence: Understanding barriers in seeking formal support services in a rural area in Zimbabwe. Journal of Family Violence. 10.1007/s10896-021-00275-4

Botha, R. & Warria, A. (2021). Social workers perceived challenges in delivering services to adult victims of trafficking in South Africa. Social Work, 57(1), 57-69. https://doi.org/10.15270/57-1-906

Rosenbaum, S., Ager, A., Snider, L., Warria, A., Collinson, H., Hermosilla, S. & Vancamfort, D. (2021). Physical activity, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Forced Migration Review, 66, 34-37. https://www.fmreview.org/issue66/rosenbaum-ager-snider-warria-collison-hermosilla-vancampfort

Warria, A. (2020). Human trafficking and COVID-19: Rights, risks and protective actions. Journal of Social Development in Africa (Special Issue: COVID-19). https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsda/article/view/208015

Warria, A. (2020). Re-thinking structural mechanisms for improving rapid identification of transnational child victims of trafficking in South Africa. Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development, 32(3). https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/6375

Sibisi, M. & Warria, A. (2020). Challenges experienced by probation officers working with children in conflict with the law in the Johannesburg metro region, South Africa. Children and Youth Services Review, 113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104949.

Warria, A. (2020). Stateless transnational migrant children in South Africa: Implications and opportunities for social work intervention. African Human Mobility Review, 6(2), 6-24.

Gerrand, P. & Warria, A. (2020). Factors that motivate African women in South African women to depart from kinship care to legal adoption of non-kin children. Southern Journal of Social Work and Social Development, 32(2). https://doi.org/10.25159/2415-5829/6537

Chadambuka, C. & Warria, A. (2020). Examining support systems available for victims of intimate partner violence in rural areas in Zimbabwe. Practice: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2020.1750579 

Warria, A & Chikadzi, V. (2020). Human trafficking and spirituality: Guidelines for Social Work spiritual counselling. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 34(2), 39-66. 

Botha, R. & Warria, A. (2020). Social service provision with adult victims of trafficking at shelters in South Africa. Practice. DOI: 10.1080/09503153.2019.1567702

Warria, A. (2020). “The child goes back to the trafficking situation”: Consequences of inappropriate assistance procedures during reintegration of child victims of trafficking. Child Abuse Research: A South African Journal, 21(1), 47-57.

Warria, A. (2019). Application of intervention research to a social work study on transnational child trafficking in South Africa. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 34(1), 85-114.

Warria, A. (2019). Child marriages, child protection and sustainable development in Kenya: Is legislation enough? African Journal of Reproductive Health, 23(2), 121-133. http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?rh19028

Chadambuka, C. & Warria, A. (2019). Hurt or help? Understanding intimate partner violence in the context of social norms as practised in the rural areas. Social Work, 55(3) 301-310.

Warria, A. & Chadambuka, C. (2019). Social norms and child trafficking: A springboard for social workers to facilitate community-based child protection interventions. Social Dialogue, 20, 16-19.

Warria, A. & Chikadzi, V. (2018). Socio-legal needs of transnational child victims of trafficking in South Africa. Child Abuse Research: A South African Journal, 19(1), 82-91.

Warria, A. (2018). Girl’s innocence and futures stolen: The cultural practice of sexual cleansing in Malawi. Children and Youth Services Review, 91, 298-303.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.06.011

Chikadzi, V. & Warria, A. (2018). Social enterprises as communised capitalism: Toward a collectivist, redistributive and egalitarian economic growth model for developing countries. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 33(1), 183-208. (Special Issue: Tribute to Prof. Kaseke).

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters

Chikadzi, V. & Warria, A. (In Press). Social work as an unwitting enabler of oppression and disenfranchisement of the masses: A Freirean analysis of social workers’ perspectives on the government of Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 response. In Kleibl et al. (eds.), The Coronavirus crisis and challenges to social development. Springer.

Warria, A. (In Press). Development, transnational labour migration and COVID-19: Charting a way forward in the Global South. In Baikady et al. (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-68127-2.

Masson, F. & Warria, A. (In Press). LGBTIQ+ rights in the South African higher education workplace: Reflection on policy. In Kiguwa, P. (ed.), Researching sexual and gender diversities in institutions of higher learning. UNISA Press.

Warria, A. & Chikadzi, V. (2020). The role of indigenous social protection in safeguarding children: Lessons from Africa. In Olivier, M., Mpedi, L.G. & Kalula, E. (eds.), Liber Amicorum: Essays in honour of Professor Edwell Kaseke and Dr. Matthias Nyenti (pp. 137-153). Sun Press.

Warria, A. (2018). Social work with migrant children in South Africa. In A.L. Shokane, J.C. Makhubele & L.V. Blitz (Eds.), Knowledge pathing: Multi-, inter- and trans-disciplining in the social sciences: Issues aligning theory, research and practice in Social Work education (pp. 261-299). Aosis.

Media work

Marx, S., Warria, A., Roper, M., Dixon, H. & Chadambuka, C. (22 Sep 2021). Heritage Day: Let’s remember the millions of migrants and trafficked victims who yearn for home. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-09-22-heritage-day-lets-remember-the-millions-of-migrants-and-trafficked-victims-who-yearn-for-home/

Warria, A., Chadambuka, C., Roper, M., Marx, S. & Dixon, H. (9 Aug 2021). Preserving the fabric of our society as we reflect on gender equality and women’s rights.  https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-08-09-preserving-the-fabric-of-our-society-as-we-reflect-on-gender-equality-and-womens-rights/

Warria, A., Dixon, H., Roper, M., Marx, S., Leteane, M. & Chadambuka, C. (29 Jul 2021). The voices of human trafficking victims and survivors must be heard above all others to elicit change. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-07-29-the-voices-of-human-trafficking-victims-and-survivors-must-be-heard-above-all-others-to-elicit-change/

Warria, A., Roper, M., Van der Watt, M., Marx, S. & Dixon, H. (20 Jun 2021). Coronavirus does not discriminate: Inclusion of migrants in COVID-19 policy crucial for collective well-being. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-20-coronavirus-does-not-discriminate-inclusion-of-migrants-in-covid-19-policy-crucial-for-collective-wellbeing/

Warria, A., Roper, M., Van der Watt, M., Marx, S. & Dixon, H. (3 Jun 2021). Children are easy targets for exploitation and traffickers during COVID-19. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-03-children-are-easy-targets-for-exploitation-and-traffickers-during-covid-19/

Van der Watt, M., Kruger, B., Warria, A., Emser, M. & Van der Westhuisen, A. (11 Oct 2020). Human trafficking in South Africa: Are the Constitution Court and public being misled?  https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-10-11-human-trafficking-in-south-africa-are-the-constitutional-court-and-public-being-misled/

Warria, A. (with Ruth Ancer) (11 May 2020).  Supporting your child’s emotional wellbeing. A Play Africa and Goethe Institute Initiative.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4wBis0GBLc

Warria, A. (1 Apr. 2020). How to support your children during COVID-19.  https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2020/2020-03/how-to-support-your-children-during-covid-19.html

Warria, A. (with Dr. van der Watt & Dr. A. van der Westhuisen) (25 Sept. 2018). Demystifying trafficking in South Africa. PowerFM

Awards

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Department of Science and Technology (DST), 2020-2022
Recipient, Research grant to co-investigate the prevalence of human trafficking in South Africa

ProGRANT (University of Cologne and University of Namibia), 2018
Recipient, Travel and training grant

Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) Grant, University of the Witwatersrand, 2018
Recipient, Funding awarded towards data collection (Project – Fathers in child protection)

Mellon Staff Development Funding, University of the Witwatersrand, 2017
Recipient, Funding awarded for data collection (Project: Social Work and Migrant children)

Departmental Research Award, University of the Witwatersrand, 2014 & 2018
Recipient, Departmental publication award

Professional and Community Membership

South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP)

International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)

International Association for Social Work with Groups (IASWG)

International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP)