Group advocates inter-agency collaboration to fight human trafficking
The Human Development Initiatives (HDI), a nonprofit organisation, has advocated for an inter-agency collaboration in fighting the menace of human trafficking in commemoration of this year’s World Day Against Human Trafficking, as it calls for proper utilisation of the N75billion Youth Development Fund.
July 30 every year is set aside as World Day Against Human Trafficking, and as an organisation focused on strengthening vulnerable humans in the society, HDI in aligning with other stakeholders to draw attention of world leaders and citizens to the menace of human trafficking in Nigeria, with most victims being children and women.
“We are calling on all government agencies in the forefront of the fight against human trafficking especially the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NATIP) to step up the fight by ensuring interagency collaboration with
Law Enforcement Agencies for adequate enforcement of anti-trafficking laws.
“We are also calling on the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to increase sensitisation and community re-orientation to enlighten people on the risks of illegal migration,” said Olufunso Owasanoye, the executive director, HDI Nigeria.
According to Owasanoye, government should put more security measures in place and ensure proper manning of state and national borders to curtail the problem of illegal migration. “We are also appealing to all Nigerians especially the youth, to be wary of promises that seem toogood-to-be-true,” she said.
“These victims leave with promises of better life and quality education but unfortunately end up as house maids, sex slaves or even used for several other heinous purposes including human organ harvesting,” Owasanoye said.
According to her, many innocent young women smuggled into foreign countries in hope of a better life, have ended up as sex slaves with some having had to pay the ultimate price due to the giving and funding. From cruelty of trafficking. its inception in 2011, it
“Without doubt, stories of has grown significantly, human trafficking are tales of n four days, Pan-african reaching approximately 17 woes, pain and anguish; they voices in Philanthropy, million people across the are stories of exploitation Venture Capital, Angel United States and African and abuse. Trafficking, which Investing, Social Impact Diaspora. today is a multi-million-dollar Funding in Africa, the U.S. Jacqueline Bouvier Cobusiness, thrives in Nigeria
and worldwide will meet at peland, BPM Founder and because of extreme poverty Chief executive officer, The and high rate of unemploythe 9th Annual Black Philan
WISE Fund observes that ment among persons of emthropy Month to deliberate
black people worldwide ployable age in the country,” on a theme ‘Towards a just
give billions in philanthropy Owasanoye said. future in a Covid World’.
Research has shown that The virtual summit and there is a growing social 7 out of 10 young Nigerischeduled for August 4th, impact investing and venans want to travel out of 5th & 29th 2020 will have ture funding movement, the countrytoo.insearchofbet-asspeakers,ndidinwuneli, ter life. The United Nations founder, LEAP Africa and According to Copeland, Office on Drugs and Crime Co-founder AACE Foods; “Despite our longstanding (UNODC) reports that 70 Aisha Muhammed- Oyeand determined leaderpercent of human traffickbode, chief executive ofship to help ourselves, it ing victims are women and ficer, Murtala Muhammed is well documented that girls while 30 percent of the Foundation among other our black-led non-profits victims are children. Of these, speakers who will discuss and businesses have been 23 percent are girls while 7 on blended funding stratchronically underfunded percent are boys. egies across sectors like by the private sector as
To end human trafficking philanthropy, social investequitable funding is a racial in Nigeria, all hands must ment, and venture funding justice issue.” be on deck as both governfor community recovery Copeland, who is the ment and citizens have roles. and social change in a postfounder of the Black Giving However, HDI believes much COVID world. & Beyond Virtual Summit, needs to be done in empowBlack Philanthropy opines that a monumental ering survivors and potential
Month (BPM) is a global funding investment will victims of trafficking while be required for black comalso ensuring the enforcecelebration and concerted
munities to rebuild postment of laws against trafcampaign to elevate and
COVID. ficking. mobilise African-descent
ICommenting on the line up of programmes for the event, Copeland stated that The Black Giving & Beyond Virtual Summit will officially kick-off in the United States of America on August 1st, launching a series of month-long events and conversations worldwide to mark Black Philanthropy Month 2020, which has been observed annually throughout August for the past nine years.
According to Copeland, August 4th and 5th virtual African summit will engage audiences in and across the African continent and finally which will be followed by Reunity, The Pan-african Women’s Philanthropy Network Summit on August 29th to commemorate the end of an impactful month”
The activity will also celebrate the African Union’s Decade of the African Woman and launch a global effort to encourage funding of innovative, social justice, health and economic development initiatives for postCovid recovery in Africandescent communities.