NAATIP Executive Director Highlights Partnership in the Fight Against Human Trafficking – Foroyaa Newspaper

Isatou Dabo, Executive Director of the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), has emphasized the role of partnership in the fight against human trafficking, while calling on members of the Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) to remain steadfast in the fight against human trafficking. human trafficking.

Mrs. Dabo made this revelation on Monday, October 7, 2024, during a training session designed for various hotel associations at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), saying they play a vital role in the fight against this heinous crime.

The training is aimed at ensuring the identification of victims of TIP and understanding the indicators of human trafficking and the National Referral Mechanisms (NRM). The training will, among other things, help participants know how to identify the difference between TIP and migrant smuggling and know what administrative procedures to follow when referring cases to the Agency. She expressed her gratitude to the members of the GHA for allowing their staff to be part of the important training.

“Partnership between government, civil society, the private sector and other multilateral organizations remains crucial. It is clear that the government cannot do it alone. Civil society and other actors are thus complementing its efforts to ensure that much-needed results are achieved,” she stressed, adding that human trafficking is a multifaceted approach that needs support from all to combat this inhumane act.

She said research has shown that partnerships have long been essential to the success of global anti-trafficking efforts. However, Dabo said the continued work of government and civil society stakeholders is helping to accurately portray the state of human trafficking every year. This, she said, will support governments in measuring progress and identifying new areas of focus.

Human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights and a complex crime that generates large profits for traffickers.

“The partnership of key stakeholders in preventing human trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers is key to an effective and adequate response to combating human trafficking,” she noted. “To support cooperation and encourage partnership in the fight against human trafficking, NAATIP has over the years trained security officers from various security units in the country and the latest is the training of members of the GHA.”

Ms Dabo said that when sexual exploitation is discussed or talked about, an important area that is always mentioned is the Tourism Development Areas (TDA), where human trafficking and its consequences manifest in different ways, adding that even staff or staff in hotels might not. Please realize that this is a human trafficking case.

“This is heartwarming to me in the sense that NAATIP has been around for a while and often when we identify human trafficking issues, we all know and understand that sexual exploitation is at the heart of the matter,” she explained. “We as an agency under the Government of The Gambia have undergone so much training in law enforcement. A fundamental partner that has not received the attention it deserves is the tourism sector and anyone who works as a frontline officer within the TDA or the hospitality industry.”

She expressed optimism that the groundbreaking training will help participants understand what human trafficking is, differentiate between human trafficking and migrant smuggling, understand what is happening in Gambia regarding human trafficking, understand their role as hoteliers and know what measures need to be taken become. take over from the NRM in referring cases of human trafficking to the Agency.