Abuja - On Thursday 29 July 2021, the British High Commission in Nigeria hosted a joint event with the International Organization for Migration to mark the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

The event also saw the launch of the second Phase of the Collaboration Against Trafficking and Smuggling at the Nigeria-Niger border programme (CATS NN).

Attendees included the IOM Chief’s of Mission from Niger and Nigeria, the French Ambassador to Nigeria Jerome Pasquier and Govenor of Edo State Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki.

In 2013 the United Nations General Assembly declared the 30 July as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. On the day, both the international community and civil society have the opportunity to reflect on what each of us can do to decrease vulnerabilities to trafficking, or the risks that follow from such vulnerabilities.

This year’s theme, “Victims’ Voices Lead the Way”, aims to amplify the voices of victims, putting their experiences and their perspectives at the centre of counter-trafficking responses and prevention efforts.

The event brought together partners from agencies across the government of Nigeria, including the Nigerian National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the Nigerian National Information Technology Development Agency, the Senate Committee on Special Duties, the House Committee on Civil Societies and Developmental Partners and the Federal Commissioner for Migrants Refugees and IDPs.

These were joined by representatives from the State offices of Edo and Sokoto, members of the International Organisation for Migration offices in Niger and Nigeria, staff from the British High Commission and the France Embassy in Nigeria alongside other memebers of the diplomatic community and Civil Society Organisations working on migration issues in Nigeria.

During the event, the british High Comissionner asked attendees to use this years World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2021, to reflect on the positive role victims and survivors can play in educating and preventing other vulnerable people from suffering fates similar to theirs, securing convictions against the individuals and groups responsible for trafficking them and supporting other victims and survivors as they try to rebuild their lives.

“The UK is a proud ally of Nigeria in its efforts to tackle human trafficking and in supporting Nigerian victims and survivors through a variety of programmes that provide shelters, physical and mental health interventions, and rehabilitation and reintegration services. We will remain committed to building on our partnerships in Nigeria and Niger tackle their shared challenges on trafficking,” the British High Commissioner Catrirona Laing said during the event.

Through a variety of programmes and initiatives, the UK, Nigeria, Niger, and France are working together with IOM and Civil Society to provide support for victims and survivors develop stronger collaborations to effectively stop trafficking. The Collaboration Against Trafficking and Smuggling between Nigeria and Niger programme, also known as CATS, is just one example of the types of programmes through which these partners are working together.

“Trafficking in persons is still on the rise and counts as one of the top three most profitable illegal businesses worldwide. Driven by the demand for cheap labour and commercial sex, trafficking rings across borders and within countries take advantage of economic, social and political vulnerabilities to exploit their victims,” highlighted Franz Celestin, Chief of Mission at IOM Nigeria. “As IOM, we welcome the UK Home Office’s Collaboration Against Trafficking and Smuggling Programme between Nigeria and Niger to enhance migration governance and an effective counter-trafficking response between the two countries”, he added.

“Nigeria and Niger are both important countries along the Central Mediterranean Route, stretching from sub-Saharan Africa to the southern European coast. It remains one of the most perilous in the world today. IOM Niger welcomes the UK Government’s support to strengthen cross border collaboration between Niger and Nigeria to enhance migration governance and ensure an effective counter-trafficking response between the two countries. Barbara Rijks, Chief of Mission at IOM Niger, said during her speech.

The CATS programme is funded and managed by the Conflict Stability and Security Fund of the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office looks forward to achieving a number of key objectives during its second phase starting this year.

This includes:

Manage

• It will deliver programmes, including training and staff exchanges to upskill border staff and law enforcement upstream.
   
• It will support the development of robust borders, which prevent trafficking and challenge organised immigration crime groups
   
• It will build capacity of technical systems, such as border management and returns processing

Disrupt

• CATS NN will reduce threats to security and resilience, by disrupting direct and indirect activities which facilitate irregular migration
   
• We will work with Nigeria, Niger, and France to develop a joint response
   
• We will reduce the space organised crime groups operate in by working with partners and communities to tackle the factors which enable them to operate

Protect

• It will address the factors that facilitate exploitation, and protect those that become victims of trafficking
   
• It aims to protect victims of trafficking and those trapped in vulnerable situations

Empower

• It aims to provide alternatives to irregular migration through the development of social-economic opportunities, and assess their effects on irregular movements.