BENIN CITY –The Girls Power Initiative (GIP), an NGO has held the “Engendering Community Participation to Reduce Vulnerability of Mnors to Human Trafficking in Edo state” project commencement meeting Benin City.
The project which focuses on Edo Central Senatorial district is expected to last from January –December 2018 and is being funded by the Damish Embassy, Abuja, in collaboration with the End child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT), France and GPI, which doubles as implementer of the programme.
The overall (objective of the project is to reduce irregular migration and trafficking in minors from Edo Central Senatorial district, while the specific objective is to have increased awareness on the nature and risks of irregular migration and human trafficking among 500 market traders/stall holders as well as 250 community influencer and 260,000 television viewers in the locality.
Other specific objectives are the identification of 25 most at risk in-school children, with five from each of the five local government areas and their families supported to reduce the vulnerability of the children to irregular migration and human trafficking as well as efficient administration, monitoring communication of project objective and outcome.
The primary beneficiaries are most vulnerable children identified from government owned secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial district, parents community members and leaders in the local government areas, stall holders in five markets in the local government headquarters, general public and television viewers.
The secondary beneficiaries indude local government officials, secondary school principals and teachers, transporters, parents, gatekeepers in the local government areas as well as television viewers in Edo state.
The project activities are expected to create awareness awareness and behavioral change among market trader /stall holders and community influencers towards human trafficking including sex trafficking
It also aims for increased awareness and behaviour change among the general public towards human trafficking including sex trafficking, while for families of most vulnerable to being trafficked are supported so as to reduce vulnerability of children to irregular migration and human trafficking .
Coordinator of GPI, Edo state, Grace Osakue disclosed that activities of the project include five market campaigns, (with one in each of the five local government areas) about the true nature and risks of irregular migration and human trafficking, town hall meetings, while 25 project participants, with five from each of the local government areas would work together with the Project management Committee (PMC) and GPI to generate message and visuals for media campaign.
It will also feature discussions and jingles on the true nature and risks of irregular migration and human trafficking.
The Ambassador off Denmank to Nigeria. His Excellency, Torben Guttermann presentation on his behalf said that on the visit to Edo state in August last year by two Danish ministers, they were happy to note how federal government and the state worker with civil society groups like GPI to combat the scourge of human trafficking.
He noted that creating awareness about the clear and present dangers facing people in the hands of traffickers is very important.
The absolute horror coming from those Nigerian women and men who were rescued recently from slavery, imprisonment and sexual abuse in Libya must be told over and over again in each local community in Edo state and in many other states in Nigeria.
“The wonderful stories of a good life with well paid jobs and riches waiting For every one in Europe or else they are just that stories of fantasies” he added.
