The Ogun State branch of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), has trained school principals and coordinators of Anti-Trafficking Vanguard Clubs to intensify efforts against human trafficking within schools in the state.
The two-day capacity-building workshop, held in Abeokuta, aimed to equip educators with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to identify and prevent human trafficking in schools.
In her opening remarks, the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project Manager of ICMPD, Rhoda Dia-Johnson, stressed that human trafficking is a serious problem that affects millions of people globally, with children and young people being the most vulnerable.
Dia-Johnson lamented the menace and harped on the importance of empowering young school children to become informed, protected, and proactive citizens. She said, “The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) launched Sensitisation and Capacity Building Training for school principals and coordinators of Anti-Trafficking Vanguard Clubs by NAPTIP under the STEAP project. As principals and Vanguard coordinators, you are not just educators; you are frontline defenders of children’s rights. You are custodians of safe learning environments where signs of exploitation can be identified, where trust can be nurtured, and where children find the support they need to speak up.”