Outcomes from earlier baseline studies conducted, and subsequent victims-support sessions at WACOL supported Migrant Information Centers (MIC) indicated that schools have become harvest farm for human traffickers; thus justifies the need to train teachers to become advocates and awareness creators in their respective schools and immediate environment.
In pursuance of this, WACOL on Monday 29th January 2024 at Urban Oasis Hotel, GRA, Benin – Edo State, trained thirty (30) selected teachers drawn from different primary and post primary levels of government and privately owned schools. Respectively on 30th January 2024 at Oza-Nogogo Secondary School, Ika South LGA, and 31st January 2024 at Prince memorial high school, Onitsha selected teachers from across the states were equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to prevent the continued escalation of issues of trafficking in persons and unsafe migration in these states through the work they do in the school system.
The training focused on relevant topics such as – the concepts and forms of human trafficking and unsafe migration; how to identify suspected human trafficker; ways of victims recruitment; how to support victims of human trafficking; causes and consequences of human trafficking for development; Legal frameworks and interventions for addressing human trafficking; Effective strategies and tools for incorporating teaching of Human trafficking and irregular/unsafe migration into the school curriculum; including community sensitization and advocacy approaches and lots more.
The trained teachers are expected to conduct a step-down of the learning to students and other teachers. Thus a multiple delivery approach such as – PowerPoint presentation, group discussions/plenary, case studies, experience sharing, and practical exercises was adopted for easier learning, retention, and adaptability. In conclusion, the teachers expressed appreciation for the opportunity to contribute towards combating Human Trafficking from informed position. They finally, committed to use their different formal and informal platforms to continue the advocacy/sensitization.
These trainings are part of concerted efforts of WACOL to curb the rising cases of Human Trafficking and Irregular/Unsafe Migration in the designated states. It is expected that the trained teachers will use their platforms to prevent students/pupils and even out-of-school youths in their localities from falling victims to Human Traffickers. Importantly, WACOL supported the teachers as stakeholders to provide safe spaces to promote honest conversation to enable victims/survivors share their stories without fear of being blamed or stigmatised.
#PreventHumanTrafficking #WACOLEndTIP #CombatUnsafeMigration
Signed
Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, SAN, OON [Ph.D. (Nig.), LLM (London), LL.B. (Nig.),
BL, Diploma Peace & Conflict Res (Uppsala)]
Professor of Public Law Founding Director, Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL)/Tamar SARC and GirlsWill Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children (August 1, 2008 to July 31st 2014)
Address:
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