BENIN CITY- Government agencies, law enforcement organisations, civil society groups, religious leaders and development partners have agreed on a series of measures aimed at strengthening collaboration in the fight against human trafficking and irregular migration in Edo State.
The resolutions were reached at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal Command, in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Benin City.
The meeting formed part of efforts to consolidate gains already recorded under the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), an initiative designed to educate school children and young people on the dangers of human trafficking, irregular migration and other forms of exploitation.
Participants drawn from government ministries, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, traditional institutions and the media reviewed ongoing interventions, assessed emerging trends and agreed on practical steps to improve coordination among stakeholders.
Need for Stronger Collaboration
Presentations during the meeting highlighted the importance of improved collaboration, information sharing and coordinated referral mechanisms among institutions working to combat human trafficking.
Stakeholders noted that while significant progress has been made in awareness creation and victim support, greater synergy is required to respond effectively to increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks operating across communities.
Reports presented by participating organisations also provided an opportunity to measure progress, identify gaps, avoid duplication of interventions and strengthen data collection for future planning and research.
IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES
In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, stakeholders identified several factors continuing to hinder efforts to combat human trafficking in Edo State.
Among the challenges highlighted were inadequate public awareness, poor funding, prolonged judicial processes, under-reporting of trafficking cases, weak implementation of existing laws, poor coordination among organisations, inter-agency rivalry, peer influence, cultural and religious beliefs, unwillingness of some victims to cooperate with investigators and inadequate political support.
The stakeholders observed that these challenges require a coordinated response involving government institutions, development partners, security agencies and communities.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To address the identified challenges, participants recommended quarterly stakeholders’ meetings to sustain collaboration and information sharing.
They also proposed stronger institutional partnerships through the development of Memoranda of Understanding between NAPTIP and partner organisations, regular feedback on referrals, joint capacity-building programmes and improved monitoring of anti-trafficking activities across the state.
The meeting further called for greater involvement of the Edo State Government in supporting anti-trafficking initiatives and urged organisations working in the sector to coordinate their activities more effectively.
Stakeholders also agreed that partners should routinely invite one another to programmes in order to strengthen cooperation and maximise available resources.
SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
As part of efforts to ensure long-term impact, participants agreed to establish stronger networking mechanisms, improve monitoring and evaluation of interventions, create a directory of stakeholders and their activities, and establish a dedicated communication platform to facilitate information sharing.
The stakeholders stressed that sustained collaboration would improve referrals, strengthen victim support services and enhance prosecution of traffickers.
RESOLUTIONS
Reading the communiqué, Benin Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Barrister Sam Offiah, said stakeholders remained committed to working together to prevent trafficking in persons, protect victims and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
“The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to work together to prevent trafficking, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators,” the communiqué stated.
Participants also commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for convening the meeting and pledged continued support for the implementation of the resolutions reached.
The meeting is expected to deepen collaboration among stakeholders implementing the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project, while reinforcing Edo State’s efforts to reduce the incidence of human trafficking through prevention, education, stronger partnerships and coordinated action.