National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, with support from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, is partnering state and non-state actors to establish Task Forces on human trafficking.

According to Communications Officer, UNODC Nigeria, Sylvester Atere, this was part of efforts to decrease vulnerabilities to trafficking of women, children and the youth, saying the establishment of the bodies reflects a multi-sectoral response by state and non-state actors to raise awareness and protect victims of trafficking.

Atere said increasing their access to justice and rehabilitation and provide support to prosecution of traffickers, saying the establishment of State Task forces was an essential component of UNODC project entitled, “Strengthening the capacities of state and non-state institutions to assist, support and protect Victims of Trafficking (VoT) in Nigeria.

He said it was implemented in partnership with NAPTIP,” saying the project was funded by the U.S. Government.

Atere said the major output of the project was to support an improved partnership coordination in the referral process for the support and protection of trafficked victims.

He said the first State Task Force was established by Edo Government followed by Ondo, Delta and Ekiti, adding that other States were expected to follow soon.

Atere quoted UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov, in his statement to commemorate world Day against Trafficking in Persons, as saying: “Tackling human trafficking brings us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“This calls for eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, combatting organised crime and eradicating forced labour, abuse, exploitation and violence against children.

“Fighting this global scourge means building a society that leaves no-one behind,” he said.

He stated that in 2018, UNODC released a report on Trafficking in Persons which revealed that identification of victims of human trafficking and conviction of traffickers was globally on the rise.

It said these could be due to poor state capacities in the related areas, adding that Nigeria still had a low conviction rate of human traffickers.

“It is, therefore, imperative that Nigeria government demonstrated a strong commitment in its response at all levels to counter human trafficking.

“Against this backdrop, the establishment of task forces with the participation of key stakeholders such as donors, development partners, law enforcement agencies, MDAs, NGOs traditional rulers, Faith-based organisations is a timely move,” he further said.

He added that the intervention was also in line with the whole of government, multi-sectoral cooperation approach promoted under the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and its Protocols.

He stated that this was to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons especially of women and children.

“Also called Palermo Protocols, it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/255 on 31 May 2001.

“The treaty entered into force on 3 July 2005 and ratified by Nigeria on June 28, 2001.

“As at May 2019, 117 parties, including 116 states and the EU have signed the protocols,” he said.

The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is celebrated every July 31.

The 2019 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons has the theme: “Human Trafficking: Call Your Government to Action’.