A Non- Governmental Organisation, CLEEN Foundation, has tasked women on increased involvement in the fight against human trafficking and forced migration.
The foundation made the call in Lagos on Tuesday during a two-day capacity building workshop it organised in collaboration with the partners for community-based women-led organisations.
It emphasised the need for gender-sensitive policies that would tackle forced migration and trafficking
The capacity building workshop was the second batch to be organised by CLEEN Foundation in partnership with United Nations Women and National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.
The Executive Director of CLEEN, Benson Olugbuo, said that the purpose of the workshop was to strengthen the capacities of women led groups to carry out their mandates effectively.
“In all, the importance of this workshop is hinged on the central role women play in ensuring stability, progress and long term development in the fabric of the society,” he said.
Mr Olugbuo added that CLEEN Foundation had deemed it salient to deepen its partnership with grassroots women organisation to extend the scope and enhance the impact of fighting the scourge of trafficking.
NAPTIP’s Lagos Commander, Ganiyu Agaran, who was represented by Elizabeth Ajeseni, Intelligence Officer, NAPTIP, said that the workshop was necessary as women are the most vulnerable in human trafficking.
“NAPTIP over the years had continued to adopt different strategies in tackling human trafficking through policies, partnerships, creating awareness such as we are doing now and prosecution of offenders.”
Mrs Ajeseni urged participants to have open mind throughout the workshop so as to acquire knowledge on ways to tackle human trafficking.
In his remarks, Kester Audu from GIZ who spoke on “Understanding Gender in the Context of Forced Migration and Trafficking” said that human trafficking was something more of a mindset which should be addressed.
He stressed the need to regulate the kind of message we receive especially those that give the ‘get rich quick mentality’ which often push people into being desperate and becoming a victim of human trafficking.
The Community Women’s Rights Foundation, Mrs Sekinah Adeleke, suggested that awareness on the dangers of human trafficking be focused on parents because most of them put pressure on their children.
She said: “There is need to focus on the parents because of their mindset. Parents should begin to plan their lives without their children.
“The thought that parents are expecting something from their children often push them into being victims of human trafficking,” she added.
According to reports, 45 community-based women led organisations in Lagos State were present at the workshop.
NAN
