By Stella Odueme
Stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking have urged survivors to break the culture of silence, speak out and actively participate in efforts to combat trafficking and exploitation.
They made the call at the launch of Voices Unchained – Trafficking Survivors Initiative (VUTSI) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Representing the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Jessica Arikpo, Assistant Director, said survivors must not only speak about their experiences but also be listened to, believed and supported with concrete action.
She urged Nigerians to break the chains of silence and amplify the voices of people affected by trafficking.
The President of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), speaking from her experience as a survivor who returned from Libya about 20 years ago, said survivors could become part of the solution to human trafficking.
She said her experience motivated her advocacy against trafficking and irregular migration, eventually leading to her involvement in the development of migration and counter-trafficking policies.
The NACTAL president urged the VUTSI survivors to remain consistent, develop their skills and use their experiences to influence policies and strengthen the fight against trafficking.
Georgina Atsumaru, Associate Programme Officer, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said the launch was more than the establishment of an organisation, describing it as an affirmation that survivors could become leaders, advocates and agents of transformation.
Representing the UNODC Country Representative, Sheikh Ousmane Toure, she said the fight against trafficking required collective action around prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership and survivor-centred policies.
She reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian government, civil society organisations and survivor-led initiatives to combat trafficking, exploitation and abuse.
Also, Mrs Abigail Wood, Policy Coordinator, Lake Chad Basin, British High Commission, Abuja, recalled an event at the British High Commissioner’s residence in February where survivors first publicly shared their experiences.
Wood commended them for establishing VUTSI eight months later, while drawing attention to the growing scale and changing nature of trafficking for forced criminality, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
She called for continued attention to the evolving methods used by traffickers and the need for stronger collective responses.
Similarly, Matt Mountain, National Crime Agency International Liaison Officer at the British High Commission, Abuja, commended the initiative and pledged to work with and support VUTSI towards achieving its objectives.
The stakeholders collectively stressed the importance of stronger partnerships among government agencies, international organisations, civil society groups, security institutions, communities and survivors in tackling human trafficking.
VUTSI said it would remain committed to transforming survivors’ experiences into advocacy, prevention and practical interventions, while ensuring that survivors had meaningful participation in decisions affecting their lives.