The Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah, has called on members of the ECOWAS Network of National Focal Institutions to harness the power of innovation and technology to address issues of human trafficking.
She urged the countries to explore new ways of data collection, analysis and sharing that can strengthen the understanding of human trafficking dynamics and drive evidence-based interventions.
She made the call at the closing ceremony of the 15th annual review meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Network of National Focal Institutions against trafficking in persons (RNNI-TIP+) on Wednesday in Accra.
According to her, the RNNI-TIP+ study, which delves into the fundamental reasons why people are trafficked, the weaknesses that make them vulnerable to exploitation and the strategies used by organized crime organizations to carry out these crimes, was a reflection of ECOWAS collective determination to tackle human trafficking head-on.
She noted that Ghana has begun preparations towards the commemoration of the World Day Against Human Trafficking which falls on the 30th of July each year.
“Ghana has started a series of events, including a media launch, training for law enforcement officers, social media campaigns, among others. For us as a country, aside from the global theme, we all know fighting human trafficking is a collective responsibility, hence, our national theme is ‘Ending Human Trafficking: A collective Responsibility’. Let us unite as one front to defeat the offenders and protect the victims,” she added.
Madam Oteng Mensah, therefore, called upon the ECOWAS members to continue carrying the torch of the collective resolve back to their respective countries.
“Let us remain resolute in the commitment to implement the strategies and collaborations that have been outlined during this meeting. Let us strengthen our capacity-building initiatives, foster cross-border cooperation and enhance our communication networks to ensure a comprehensive and effective response to human trafficking,” she reiterated.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
