MoGCSP: District, Circuit Court judges sensitized on human trafficking and trauma-informed judicial practices

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has organized a sensitization workshop for district and circuit court Judges on Human Trafficking and Trauma Informed Judicial Practices.

The two-day (25th -26th May 2023) workshop sponsored by Expertise France and funded by the European Union was to sensitize and orient judges to have a basic understanding of the issues of human trafficking and irregular migration.

The sensitization is to also enable judges to know how to manage traumatized trafficking victims/witnesses in the courtroom and discuss issues related to sentencing which is sometimes not in accordance with the statutory provisions and guidance in the Human Trafficking Act.

Speaking at the event as the keynote speaker, Hon Francisca Oteng-Mensah, deputy minister of MoGCSP noted that, the training has become necessary because globally, the sales of ammunition are currently the largest criminal trade followed by human trafficking being second hence a call to action for all stakeholders including judges to win this fight against human trafficking.

She stated that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with stakeholders, for the past years trained security personnel and traditional authorities among others to help curb human trafficking in Ghana.

In a statement read by Abena Annobea, Head of the Human Trafficking Secretariat on behalf of Chief Director, MoGCSP, Dr. Afisah Zakariah indicated that the Human Trafficking Secretariat under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is mandated by the Human Trafficking Act (2005) Act 694 and National Plan of Action for the elimination of human trafficking in Ghana (2022-2026) to ensure that all law enforcement agencies and the Judiciary including Magistrates, District, and Circuit Court judges can appropriately deal with human trafficking cases in the court of law.

She added that the ministry in collaboration with Expertise France with funding from the European Union, in December 2022, organised two training sessions for selected District, Magistrate, and circuit court judges.

Serge Akpalou, Project Manager, Expertise France emphasized that the European Union and Expertise France are committed to supporting the government of Ghana in fighting human trafficking.

On her part, Mabel Ahele, deputy director of the Judicial Training Institute reiterated that the sensitization will serve as a refresher course on Human Trafficking laws, the management of traumatized victims of trafficking and witnesses in the courtroom and also discuss issues related to sentencing and the need to follow the statutory provisions and guidance in the Human Trafficking Act.

Justice Dennis Adjei, speaking on the topic "Understanding Human Trafficking: Basic Concepts and Legal Framework" said human trafficking is a universal crime that required proper pronouncement.

He urged the judges not to base their case pronouncements on assumption but rather on evidence.

So far, over 375 law enforcement officers have been trained from 2022 to 2023 through the Expertise France Project on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration.

These officers consist of Ghana Police, Immigration Service, Customs officers, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, Law Enforcement officers, judges, Civil Aviation Officers cocoa cooperatives officers.