BENIN CITY- In it fight against Forced Migration and Human Trafficking in Edo State, a leading Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), CLEEN FOUNDATION has admonished students of Itohan Girls Grammar School and St. Maria Gorretti Secondary School on the need for them to shun human trafficking when being lured by traffickers.
The Foundation gave the advise during it “In-School Documentary Show On Preventing Forced Migration and Human Trafficking of Women and Girls In Edo State”.
Addressing the students of Itohan Girls Grammar School, the State Coordinator of CLEEN FOUNDATION, Mrs. Eromon Blessing, said that the dangers inherent in human trafficking and forced migration are enormous, adding that sex and human traffickers uses different tactics to recruit and obtain their victims who they (traffickers) ended up exploited.
Blessing identified sex trade, forced labour and domestic servitude as some of the commonest types of human trafficking, and disclosed that traffickers exploit people who are vulnerable because of their age, social, economic status.
She maintained that human trafficking happens both local and internationally, noting that most girls of secondary School age are been recruited from the rural areas into exploitative labour and prostitution by traffickers.
The Edo State Coordinator of the Foundation, however, charged the students to cultivate the value of contentment and focus on their education and added that the students should resist beio cajoled with material things that won’t last forever.
Addressing, newsmen shortly after the day one of the one-week programme, Eromon Blessing, said : “We (CLEEN FOUNDATION) have been campaigning against human trafficking and how to prevent it among women and girls in our society.
“We have decided to take the crusade down to secondary Schools in Benin City because we observed that girls in their prime are easily deceived and they are at the age where anyone can easily cajole them with false promises, gifts.
“We also want to enlarge their capacity to be able to know when they are about to be trafficked and the power of their authority to say no to it”.
She commended the UN Women and Italian Governor for sponsoring the programme, just as she informed that the Foundation is partnering with National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) during the awareness exercise.
In their separate reactions, little miss Peter Blessing SS3, Bello Amura SS2 students of Itohan Girls Grammar School, commended the Foundation, UN Women and the Italian Government for bringing the sensitisation campaign to their school, noting that they have been exposed to the consequences and various ways human trafficking can occur.
Addressing the students at St. Maria Gorretti, a facilitator, Blessing Amayo, said that human trafficking can be reduced to the bearest minimum through awareness campaign.
“Going to school- to-school to inform the students is an awareness programme that will help the minds of the children and they will be able to stand on their decision and say no to any human trafficker they may come across”.
Little Miss Lydia Omoruyi, an SS2 students of St. Maria Gorreti Secondary School, said that the awesomeness campaign by CLEEN FOUNDATION is apt and if would help in the reduction forced migration and human trafficking in the state.
