By Lucky Isibor
The Executive Director of the Justice Development and Peace Caritas Initiative (JDPCI) of the Uromi Catholic Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Fidelis Arhedo has enjoined Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders engagaged in anti-human trafficking to join the Localizing Trafficking in Persons Response Cluster to raise awareness of its advocacy priorities to contribute meaningfully to anti-human trafficking initiatives.
Fr. Arhedo made the call in a keynote address he delivered at a one day Learning Event Focusing on Harnessing Local Government Area Capacity for Local Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Response held in Benin City last Tuesday, 19 March.
The Localizing Trafficking in Persons-Response Cluster, is an anti-human trafficking coalition led by Uromi Justice Development Peace and Caritas Initiatives with members drawn from Josemaria Escriva Foundation JOSEF), Girls Power Initiative (GPI, Ideal Development and Resource Centre (IDRC), Willi Johnson Foundation (WJ), Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Auchi and Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT).
The programme is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Palladium and its resource partners.
While enumerating the advocacy objectives to participants, Fr. Arhedo explained the expectations from all the objectives to achieve the desired results, pointing out that the three advocacy objectives include, “Legislative review of the Edo State Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law 2018 to make provision for the creation of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) response units at the various Local Government Areas in Edo State.
“Activation of the Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund & Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund Committees as stipulated under sections 67 and 68 of the Edo State TIP Law 2018 and Increase in budgetary allocation for the Edo State ‘Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT). This is to improve the provision of protection and reintegration services to victims of human trafficking”, he pointed out.
Explaining the rational behind the advocacy objectives Fr. Arhedo noted that, “In the implementation of our various anti-human trafficking projects, we have observed the need to have government structures at the local levels to corroborate the efforts of the State government as well as coordinate the activities of the various anti-human trafficking actors at the local and community level and synchronize their interventions into a single and unified database for more effective State action, outcome, and impact management and evaluation.
“We are therefore advocating for the establishment of a trafficking in-person (TIP) response unit in the Local Government Areas of Edo State through a Iegislative review of the Edo State ‘Trafficking in Person Prohibition Law 2018 to make inclusive provision for it for more effective implementation of the TIP law in the State. This is to strengthen prevention efforts, that would allow for increased awarencss, identification of potential victims, and creating easy referral pathways that will improve effective response to human trafficking issues as well as support the reintegration of victims of human trafficking. A specialized Local response unit dedicatcd to combating human trafficking within the various LGAs in Edo State would help coordinate anti-human trafficking efforts, bring migration information closer to the people in the local communities, and implement strategies that would help to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosccute human trafficking cases effectively. A legislative review will help institutionalize the Local Response Units, guarantee its sustainability, and ensure that it remain relevant and robust in addressing current trafficking trends and challenges”.
Giving reasons why the Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund (VTTF) should be established, Fr. Arhedo pointed out that, “Where fully functional as required by the Law, the VTTF will amongst other purposes provide financial support, empowerment, and essential support services to victims of human trafficking to aid their recovery, and reintegration, and contribute to efforts to hold traffickers accountable and eliminate this form of modern slavery. It is intended to be a sustainable local resource poll with the monies gotten from (a) a take-off grant and special intervention funds as may be provided by the State Government, (b) such money as may be appropriated to meet the objectives of the Victims Trust Fund by the State House of Assembly (c) Proceeds of the sale of assets and properties derived from acts that constitute offenses under the Edo State trafficking law, which have been forfeited following the provisions of this Law, (d) aids, grants, gifts, bequests, endowments, donations, or assistance from bilateral and multi-lateral agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, other donor agencies, partners, and the private sector that are specifically for the Victims Trust Fund: (¢) any other money which may accrue to the Victims Trust Fund from time to time.
“The existing Law further makes copious provisions mandating the establishment of the Victims of Trafficking ‘Trust Fund Committee to amongst other functions: (a) manage all monies, aids, grants, gifts, bequests, endowments, donations, or assistance accruing to the Fund; (b) solicit for funds for the Victims Trust Fund. (c) approve moneys from the Victims Trust Fund to such victims of trafficking on criteria approved by the taskforce on the recommendation of the committee”.
In a paper titled “Overview of CSOs response in Countering Trafficking in Persons, Challenges and effective response mechanisms” presented by Onome Oriakhi (Esq) x- rayed the contributions of CSOs in the fight against human trafficking, their constraints and limitations and suggested strategies to overcome their challenges in anti-human trafficking efforts.
According to Onome, “Civil society organizations (CSOs) play pivotal roles in addressing human trafficking most especially at the local level.
“They work directly with vulnerable populations, provide support services to survivors, carry out family tracing, raise awareness in communities, and advocate for policy change. They go as far as working to ensure that community structures are given the opportunity to contribute in achieving program deliverables and also in developing sustainable strategies aimed at providing lasting solutions to issues of concern”.
While enumerating the areas the CSOs engage in combating human trafficking, Onome noted they offer a range of services such as victim assistance, vocational \entrepreneurial training; capacity building and coalition and referral.
Onome noted further that despite the crucial contributions, CSOs working to counter human trafficking at the local level face several challenges which she pointed out include, “lack of presence, financial constraints, ineffective networking and collaboration; access to data and information, legal and policy frameworks”.
While calling for coordinated and multi-sectoral approach involving CSOs, government agencies, law enforcement, the private sector, and other stakeholders in addressing the observed challenges, Onome noted that, “involvement of government at all levels in the fight against human trafficking is crucial in reducing human trafficking.
“Advocacy drive to government for the implementation of good policies and laws against human trafficking and victim protection should be a priority for CSOs
especially as first responders. Capacity Building for stakeholders on the understanding of human trafficking and related concepts.
“Government at all levels must take the lead in facilitating effective response as far as human trafficking is concerned. This will enable CSOs have a platform to operate and a solid data base of actors created: which spells out the different interventions of actors especially at the grassroot.
“In conjunction with Traditional rulers and other stakeholders, CSOs should device sustainable ways in tackling issues of human trafficking especially in promoting prevention initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment and also in supporting victims of human trafficking.
“Stringent punishment for traffickers as a deterrent for future offenders and also as a way to soothe the sufferings and pains encountered by victims.
“Effective and efficient collaboration amongst government agencies, MDAs, FBOs, CBOs, at all levels must be strengthened”.
In a paper on the overview of the mandate of the Department of Community Development in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs presented by the Director in the department, Mrs. Onariase lauded the Uromi JDPCI for the initiative to take the war against human trafficking to the local government areas.
According to her, the “Ministry has been collaborating with relevant stakeholders such as International Organization for Migration (IOM), Palladium International, Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
“The move by Uromi Justice Development Peace and Caritas Initiatives, Catholic Diocese of Uromi to address Human Trafficking at the Local Government level, is a laudable development. For effective implementation of the aforementioned, there should be a synergy among all the relevant stakeholders”.
In a remark, the Director of Gender Issues in the state Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, Mrs. Joy Ihensekhien stated that the state government through the ministry has been doing a lot to alleviate the plight of victims of trafficking adding that shelter has been provided for returnee migrants with the assistance of donor agencies and appealed for more assistance to facilitate the reintegration of victims intothesociety.
On his part, the Executive Director of Society for Awareness and Family Initiative (SAFI) disclosed that an initiative is already going on sponsored by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) to create Resource centres across targeted areas in the country that would provide the right information for intending migrants noting that all the available opportunities to legally migrate would be captured.