Group mobilises stakeholders to end human trafficking, sex slavery

A group, Symbols of Hope Project has said it is currently mobilising religious groups and other relevant stakeholders to curb the reoccurring incidents of trafficking in persons, sex work and sex slavery which has become rampant among African nations.

Recall that the Nigerian government recently received some citizens from Libya who were victims of trafficking in person, also, there have been reports of sex slavery in some parts of Europe, where some Africans were lured into sex for money activities.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Country Director of the group, Reverend Dr Lesmore Ezekiel said the project was targeted at mobilising all religion and the general public in some parts of Africa with the intention of responding to the dehumanising acts of human trafficking.

He said the Project which is an initiative of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), would also work with both local and international law enforcement and regulatory agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of human trafficking are punished in accordance with the law.

According to him: “The project is aimed at mobilising adherents of all religious and indeed the general public in Nigeria and some selected African countries to deliberately and intentionally respond to the dehumanising acts of human trafficking in all its ramifications from socio-religious dimensions.

“It is an indisputable fact that human trafficking in all its manifestation and expression has constituted a serious menace in our society today. It is a historical fact that slavery and the slave trade have been abolished over 150 years ago, yet there are more people in slavery and the slave trade. Evidence abounds on modern-day slavery in our world today. Human beings sadly have been turned into commodities to be traded with.

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“May I state unequivocally that Human Trafficking is evil and a grievous sin against God, the creator and fellow human beings. All structures, systems, logic, ideologies, theories, polices and cultures that are tolerant to human trafficking in any guise must be confronted and condemned without further delay. Human trafficking dehumanises the victim. It diminishes the inherent dignity bestowed by God, the creator.

“We are terribly worried that sacred texts and religious messages are being instrumentalised to offer inspiration to those considering to jet out of the country in search of so-called greener pasture. We condemn in the strongest terms possible the manipulative and subversive use of sacred texts to motivate for illegal migration, which is an act antithetical to the notion or idea of positive exploration and gainful engagements beyond the territorial boundary of the country.”

He further stated that the project was not ignorant of the catastrophic experiences of youths who were dead adamant to go to Europe, adding that “we have lost thousands of them in the desert and Mediterranean sea. All who went through all the illegal routes went through torment.

He regretted despite all the gory stories of those trapped in such horrendous conditions, many young people are contemplating to undertake such dangerous adventure because of different push factors, such as joblessness, economic deprivation, violent conflict and insecurity, socio-political servitude, gender-based disparity and violence.”

“We, therefore, call on the government to ensure that push factors, some of whom have been mentioned above be addressed as speedily as possible. The government has been constitutionally obligated to ensure that citizens are protected and basic social amenities for the well being of all for national cohesion and respect are provided. Undoubtedly, the notion’s dignity is partly undermined by the seemingly obstinate incidence of human trafficking through illegal migration and other illicit acts.

“Without hesitation, we commend the various efforts made by the government through it’s designated agencies to respond to the challenges of human trafficking. We call for more aggressive wholistic actions. Similarly, we commend the relentless efforts of civil society organisations, international agencies, diplomatic corps and some media agencies for contributing to the various initiatives to curb the menace of human trafficking.

“We call on all religious actors and people of goodwill to openly condemn and oppose any act that commodity human beings, either in parts or whole. The commodification of the human person can manifest in illegal migration, child labour, forced labour, so-called house help/maid, sex work, sex slavery, the sexual relation as an incentive at workplace, schools, for job placement, etc.

“Religious leaders and teachers must be true and faithful to the life-affirming messages of our religions that respond to the contextual realities and challenges the people, without exploiting the desperation of the vulnerable followers.”

He said the organisation are committed to providing accurate information on issues of migration, liaise with relevant government and security agencies to reverse the ugly trends of human trafficking, that has marked Nigeria as the hub for traffickers and victims in the continent.

“This is the saddest truth. We will equally offer psychosocial support through clinical pastoral care to victims of human trafficking. We will continually collaborate with key religious institutions and CSOs to respond to threats to human trafficking. As part of our commitment, we intend to engage in sustainable livelihood interventions. The project also seeks to rekindle hope in the youth to explore the enormous potentials at home for gainful engagements through sustainable livelihood initiatives that would hopefully be supported,” he added.