Over one hundred school principals, vanguard coordinators and education administrators in Delta State have been trained on the use of the tools for the implementation of Trafficking In Persons /Violence Against Persons Vanguards (TIPVAP) under the school anti trafficking education and advocacy project (STEAP) funded by the Government of Netherlands.
The two-day awareness capacity raising workshop which held in Asaba, Delta State was organized by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPO).
At the event, the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello said the essence of the workshop was for the safety of school children, the participants and their biological children.
The NAPTIP Director General represented by the Director of Intelligence (Research and Programme Development Department) in the agency, Mr Josiah Emerole noted that majority of victims of trafficking are of school age, and that the choice of principals, vanguard coordinators, education administrators and school children was to strengthen the fight against human trafficking.
”Majority of victims of trafficking are of school age , and majority of them are in your school. And because we have to save children, we decided to set up anti-trafficking in persons and violence against persons vanguards. And the vanguard, I must say is a tool that NAPTIP developed over the years to catch the children young while in school ”
”As critical stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking, you are to provide the kind of peer to peer education to the children, and for them to be able to use what they are learning to create awareness among themselves, their families, and to be able to know those red flags on trafficking that they need to work against ”, stated Hajiya Adamu-Bello.
She pointed out that traffickers were not only looking for children to traffick but also young adults for sexual exploitation, forced labour and organs harvesting.Hajiya Adamu-Bello expressed delight over the successes recorded by NAPTIP so far with the conviction of over 700 persons, as well as the rescue and reintegration of not less than 26,000 victims into the society.
In a goodwill message, Delta State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, and Chairman, State Taskforce against human trafficking and irregular migration,Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole(SAN), represented by the state secretary of the taskforce, Mrs Florence Nwanze restated the state government’s commitment to tackling trafficking in persons, and full support for the awareness capacity raising workshop for critical stakeholders.
He appreciated NAPTIP and ICMPD for choosing Delta as one of the states to benefit from the project Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu represented by the project desk officer in the ministry, Mr Eze Mackeans,described the workshop as a crucial step in equipping school principals, vanguard coordinators, school administrators with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
”I am aware that National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) have provided a standard operating procedures and reporting mechanisms developed under the STEAP project. These will provide our school leaders the much needed empowerment to detect, prevent and respond effectively to potential cases of trafficking and abuse”, stated Ezewu.
Representative of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, Rhoda Dia-Johnson said the gathering marked a significant milestone under the School Anti-Trafficking Education Advocacy Project (STEAP), a project designed not only to educate, but to empower young people to become informed, protected, and proactive citizens.
She stated further, ”With the ongoing inauguration of the anti-trafficking and violence against persons vanguard clubs in fifty schools in Delta State, we are sending a clear and united message. Our schools must be save, and resilient places where no child is left vulnerable to exploitation ”.
”Everyday , headlnes remind us that school children continue to fall victims to human trafficking. This grave issue affects millions globally, with children and young people the most affected. Trafficking is not a distant problem. It exists in our community””Schools where children spend part of their formative years , are positioned to be part of the solution. That is why this training is not just timely but it is critical, said Dia-Johnson.
The workshop featured goodwill messages from representative of civil society organisations, and presentations on overview of STEAP project and achievements to date; overview of NAPTIP; understanding human trafficking; place of school clubs in the fight against TIPVAP as well as the roles and responsibilities of educational institutions in the fight against human trafficking.
