Ghana is being urged to intensify its efforts in the fight against human trafficking, according to Ms. Anita Budu, the Director of International Justice Mission (IJM) in West Africa. Ms. Budu emphasized the need for a redoubling of efforts to combat this grave issue.
Speaking about a commissioned research conducted by IJM Ghana in three fishing districts around Volta Lake in 2022, Ms. Budu revealed that approximately 38 percent of the children interviewed were likely victims of human trafficking, while an additional 45 percent were engaged in likely exploitative child labor. Although the prevalence had decreased compared to the findings from the same area in 2013, where the prevalence was around 58 percent, Ms. Budu emphasized that more needed to be done to address the issue effectively.
Ms. Budu made this call during a training session organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, in collaboration with the Human Trafficking Secretariat (HTS) and supported by IJM. The purpose of the two-day training was to raise awareness and provide guidance to stakeholders on the reporting of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases.
The training brought together representatives from various law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and other government agencies. Ms. Budu acknowledged the collaborative efforts of stakeholders over the years, stating that they appeared to be yielding positive results. However, she stressed that tackling human trafficking required collective action and expressed the hope for future collaborations with the government and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to conduct more extensive research to gauge the impact of their work in ending human trafficking in Ghana.
Ms. Budu reaffirmed IJM Ghana’s commitment to collaborating with the government and all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the new National Plan of Action for the elimination of Human Trafficking in Ghana. She commended the Ministry, particularly the Human Trafficking Secretariat, for proactively organizing the training, emphasizing the importance of reliable data in crafting relevant policy interventions.
Ms. Abena Annobea Asare, the Head of HTS, highlighted that victims of adult sex trafficking were typically young, ranging from 15 to 30 years old, while perpetrators were generally older. The HTS reported an increase in the number of human trafficking victims in Ghana, from 587 in the previous year to 831 in 2021, and an increase in the number of investigations conducted from 87 in 2020 to 108 in 2021.
Ms. Asare emphasized that human trafficking was closely linked to both regular and irregular migration. Many individuals desired to migrate with proper documentation but ended up being exploited in the destination country through deceit and other trafficking characteristics. She noted that while irregular migration had previously involved mostly men, women were now equally involved, with many female perpetrators having been victims themselves in the past.
The Head of HTS attributed the prevailing cases of human trafficking to factors such as poverty, the desire for wealth, the growing demand for victims’ services, and the continuous supply of victims from both the origin and destination countries. Ms. Asare also highlighted the significant negative impacts of human trafficking, including loss of life, damage to mental health, control of victims, and gender-based violence.
