The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has trained 60 members of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) on advocacy against human trafficking in Edo State.
The ICMPD Project Officer in Edo, Mr. Elvis Ederibhalo, disclosed this during a workshop for PTA executives held on Wednesday in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
He said the training, organised in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Centre for Development and Cultural Interchange (CDCI), was part of the School Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP) funded by the Government of the Netherlands.
According to him, the initiative became necessary to equip PTA leaders with knowledge of the tricks and tactics traffickers use to lure young people into slavery.
“The aim is to raise awareness and make them ambassadors who will educate children and families on the dangers of trafficking,” Ederibhalo said.
Also speaking, the Project Manager of CDCI, Mrs. Lilian Gbeleke, described human trafficking as a menace that violates human dignity. She said the workshop was designed to empower participants with effective strategies to spread awareness in schools and communities.
Some participants, including Mrs. Anastasia Okoruwa, Principal of Ujoelen Grammar School, and Mr. Ambrose Okonofua, Publicity Secretary of Edo PTA, pledged to champion the fight against human trafficking in their communities.
The highlight of the event was a series of paper presentations by NAPTIP officials, including Mr. Obi Onyebuchi, Mr. Stephen Selowo, and Mr. Joan Ojiewa, on issues such as trafficking trends, irregular migration, child labour, slavery, referral pathways, and NAPTIP strategies.
