Accra – In 2002, a research study revealed the extent of forced labour of children in the fishing industry in Ghana. Since then, the Government of Ghana has taken measures to counter trafficking in persons (TiP) including the adoption of laws and the establishment of anti-human trafficking task forces.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ghana is currently in the process of validating the first mapping of vulnerability to TiP. The mapping revealed a series of findings and recommendations to strengthen the protection and prevention of TiP from and within Ghana.

On 8 October 2019, IOM organized a workshop to validate these findings and recommendations of the mapping in presence of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Education, Local Government and Rural Development, and Transport.

The workshop was an opportunity for stakeholders to provide their feedback on the report.

“The mapping and analysis of the trafficking and vulnerability situation helped to identify the prevention gaps and constraints present in the sectors examined,” said Victoria Klimova, Counter-Trafficking Project Manager at IOM Ghana. “The validation of the recommendations will help make Ghana a safer place, free of human rights violation, slavery and human trafficking,” she added.

Participating governmental stakeholders, and representatives of non-governmental national and international organizations and academia gave feedback on the document that aims at increasing protection and prevention engagement of ministries and that will result in the development of the national prevention strategy. The final report, with stakeholders’ recommendations, will be finalized in the coming month.

“The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection appreciates the attention given to the problem of adult TiP and supports the mapping of vulnerability as a baseline for a national prevention framework,” said Abena Anobea Asare, Director of Human Trafficking Secretariat of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The workshop was organized in the framework of the project “To strengthen the Government of Ghana’s capacity to provide services for adult Victims of Trafficking (VoTs) and prevent trafficking in persons (TIP) in the targeted sectors,” funded by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the U.S. Department of State, and implemented by IOM in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ghana Police Service.

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For more information, please contact Victoria Klimova at IOM Ghana, Email: VKLIMOVA@iom.int