Let's promote safe, orderly migration to ensure development of the sub-region — Gender Minister to ECOWAS leaders

The Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP), Hon. Francisca Oteng-Mensah has called on ECOWAS leadership to promote safe and orderly migration to ensure the development of the region.

According to her, the region has not been spared human trafficking, hence the region continues to make significant thrive in the fight against human trafficking.

She added that the issue of Human Trafficking has been canker eating deep into the fabrics of society due to the greed and insensitivity of a few who are burnt on making money at all costs.

Hon Francisca Oteng-Mensah made this known at the opening ceremony of the 15th Annual Review Meeting Of The ECOWAS Regional Network Of National Focal Institutions Against Human Trafficking In Persons Plus (RNNI TIP+) on Monday 24th July 2023 in Accra, Ghana.

She said the 15th Annual Conference is an indication that the region is committed and making strives in the fight against human trafficking.

"It is important to be concerned about calls of action taken to ensure the safety and survival of recured victims of trafficking within our sub-region," she said.

Ghana as a host country, for example, is in its second phase of implementing a strategic document, 'the national plan of action for the elimination of human trafficking in Ghana from 2022 to 2026.'

The document has a standard procedure to combat human trafficking in Ghana.

"A challenge in Ghana and I believe across the region are inadequate shelters to accommodate the victims of human trafficking and other related crimes", Hon. Francisca Oteng-Mensah said.

In 2007, the Network of National TIP Focal Institutions in the Member States, and the Annual Review of Implementation of the ECOWAS Plans of Action to Combat Trafficking was instituted by the ECOWAS TIP Programme. This ECOWAS’s annual flagship event is based on annual reporting by Member States (MSs) and comprises a peer review mechanism.

The three days (24th to 26th) Annual Meeting implemented by International Center For Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and coordinated by GIZ and European Union will review the implementation of actions over the period of 2021 & 2022.

It will also focus on consolidating the works already ongoing on the TIP Plus approach, with Working Groups held on the Regional Crime Against Persons Protection Policy (RCAPPP). The meeting will also focus on the feedback and validation of the Regional Referral Mechanism (RRM) document, aiming at strengthening current regional referral frameworks.

Amala Obiokoye-Nwalor, head of office, ICMPD, Ghana stressed that the Regional Referral Mechanism (RRM) developed under the OCWAR-T project, which will be discussed in the course of the meeting, is an important tool.

"ICMPD has a dedicated Anti-trafficking programme, whose life’s work is dedicated to working with governments all over the world to strengthen their capacity to combat the different facets of TIP," she said.

She reaffirms ICMPD’s commitment to supporting the fight against TIP in all its forms in the West Africa Sub-region and beyond.

The Head of the Trafficking in Persons Unit (TIP), Mr. Olayemi Olatunde said their vision is total elimination of trafficking of persons in the West African Sub-Region.

He stated that the road map that will be adopted during the discussions would be implemented for the betterment of the sub-region.