Africa move agenda forward in combating human trafficking
ABUJA, Nigeria, March 29, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Organized by the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); International Organization on Migration (IOM); and The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC); a two days consultative workshop of the AU.COMMIT Campaign with the RECs and ECOWAS ended, Friday 26 March 2010.
The AU.COMMIT Campaign was launched in the ECOWAS region to raise awareness of the continued commitment of the African Union towards tackling the problem of trafficking in Human beings throughout the continent.
During the workshop, the AU highlighted that the Ouagadougou Action Plan encapsulates the joint political and legal commitment of the AU and EU, which in turn provides unique legal protection for children and women. While the ECOWAS stated that it is currently building a three-five years road map of combating trafficking and providing child protection.
On the other hand the ECCAS stressed the information gap regarding to the extent and full nature of trafficking that exists in ECCAS Region, however subjective evidences indicate that most trafficked persons are West African children from post conflict states. In this regard, the IOM also noted the importance of gathering extensive information from identified victims so as to understand the full extent of trafficking, which is by definition a hidden crime.
As the workshop concludes, the participants recommended on the way forward in operationalizing best practices and strategic level institutional cooperation in prevention, protection and prosecution of trafficking. Amongst others:
To set up strategic partnership and cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination in Africa, the Arab world and other regions through AU-LAS dialogue, EU-Africa strategic partnership and other frameworks.
To develop inter states and intra regional cooperation framework between RECs and between AU and LAS.
To develop mechanisms for information and data sharing between Member States, RECs, AU and other partners and stakeholders.
The need to Governments to address human trafficking was also suggested from the perspective of National Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies and Programmes (PRSPs) and MDGs.
SOURCE
African Union Commission (AUC)
