REPORT OF THE ONE DAY SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME ORGANIZED BY AFRICAN YOUTHS INITIATIVE ON CRIME PREVENTION IN COMMEMORATION NATIONAL SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH, USA
24TH JANUARY, 2018, AGUDA, SURULERE, LAGOS
Welcome Address:
The Executive Director and Founder of African Youths Initiative on Crime welcomed and thanked everyone for taking the time to honour his invitation - especially the students who were passionate about listening and learning about human trafficking, child labor and slavery.
He said the motivation for the programme was based on the invitation he received from the Department of Labor, Washington DC, United States of America, to participate in the event in Washington which was scheduled for 11th January, but it was late.
Since he could not travel to Washington DC, he then now used the opportunity to inquire from the Department of Labor on the possibility of hosting the programme in Lagos, Nigeria, which the Department of Labor affirmed.
The Chairman of the event, Barrister Phillips, thanked the organizers for replicating the event in Nigeria - considering the fact that Nigeria is worst hit by activities of human trafficking, child labor and slavery as recently recorded in Libya.
He also thanked the principal of the school for partnering with AYICRIP to host this event in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerian youths, especially for our students. He advised the students to pay attention to the presenter to enable them learn on the subject matter.
Special Guest Presenters and Their Organizations:
The resource persons were invited from the following government agencies and non-governmental organizations.
- Superintendent of Police, Gowin Okoruwa, Divisional Crime Officer, Aguda, Surulere - Nigeria Police Force
- Mrs. Bola Akomolafe, Acting Zonal Director- National Agency for the Prohibitions of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP
- Barrister Obuesi Phillips, Executive Director - Community Agenda for Peace
- Mr. Felix Iziomoh, Executive Director/Founder - International Centre for Leadership Development in Nigeria.
Click the yellow arrows to scroll through the photos in the slideshow below.
Gains of the Programme:
Through the facilitators, the students were able to understand the meaning of human trafficking, child labor and slavery.
They were taught on how to prevent human trafficking, child labor and slavery within their homes and communities.
The students were also taught different ways of preventing human trafficking, child labor and slavery.
The facilitators raised awareness on the repercussion and consequences of human trafficking, child labor and slavery to the growth and development of young people in Nigeria.
Finally, each student was also equipped with life skills and information that will enable them to understand and resist the tricks and antics of human traffickers, so as to prevent them from falling victims.
Highlights:
- The recent developmentss in Libya where citizens of African countries, including Nigeria, are sold into slavery. This was the reference point of the consequences of human trafficking, illegal migration and slavery.
- It is believed that human traffickers attract their vulnerable victims with all manner of unfounded, juicy offers - especially jobs and better lives in Europe - which usually turn out to be false. The students were asked to become ambassadors to raise awareness on this falsehood, so as to change the narrative.
- The students performed a drama titled “Parents don’t encourage human trafficking and slavery through early marriage.”
- The students pledged to fight human trafficking, child labor and slavery in their schools, families and communities.
- The first-ever Human Trafficking, Child Labor and Slavery Prevention Secondary School Club was inaugurated by the NAPTIP Acting Zonal Director, Mrs. Bola Akomolafe.
Goodwill Messages:
The principal of the school, Mrs. Onwudiwe Julie, thanked AYICRIP for selecting their school for the programme. She pledged to partner with African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention to host the National Human Trafficking, Child Labor and Slavery Month every year.
Total Participants and Duration
- 157 students and 10 teachers participated in the programme, making 167. The programme lasted for 4 hours.
Vote of Thanks:
Mr. Felix Iziomoh, Executive Director/Founder - International Centre for Leadership Development in Nigeria, gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the organizers. While giving the vote of thanks, he admonished the students to be good ambassadors of their schools, family and communities by preaching the gospel against human trafficking, child labor and slavery to their friends and relatives.
