Gender minister warns youth against sports travel scams

Chief Director at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Afisah Zakaria, has encouraged the youth, especially those who desire to explore sports abroad, to research thoroughly on organizations or persons facilitating their travels.

She noted that sports is one area traffickers engage in to lure unsuspecting people into trafficking situations.

She was speaking at a sporting event held to commemorate this year’s UN Day against Trafficking in Accra. Dr. Afisah Zakaria said Ghana adopts different themes annually to reflect current situations and how they contribute to human trafficking.

“Every year we adopt a different topic. We look at the focus areas where we have data, I mean locally or internationally, and then we zoom in on that so that we educate the general public about how that area can be used for trafficking.”

July 30, annually, is observed as UN Day against Trafficking. Otherwise known as Blue Day, the day is to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights. Human trafficking is a crime that exploits persons, especially women, children, and men, for numerous purposes, including forced labor and sex.

Dr. Zakaria said statistics on human trafficking are staggering, noting that sports is one of the areas traffickers explore to exploit victims and encouraged the public to be on the lookout.

“Football is a very good area, but we are telling them that human trafficking is there, and unscrupulous people can use sport as a means to exploit children.”

The Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Fatou Dialo Ndiaye, said the IOM has supported the rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking. She said despite the progress made, there is a need for collaborative agreements that will enhance protective services for victims of trafficking.

“Over the years, IOM has reschooled, rehabilitated, and reintegrated various categories of victims of trafficking into their countries and communities of origin. In addition to their reintegration, IOM supported the victims with training, startup businesses, and counseling.”

Adding on, she said, “we are deeply committed to countering trafficking by working closely with governments, all the United Nations agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to achieve our shared goal of eliminating trafficking.”

She said trafficking is a human rights violation that affects both men, women, and children globally, hence the need to put in concerted efforts to end it.

“The term ‘leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking’ serves as a powerful reminder for us to strengthen our collaboration and promote our success in the ongoing fight against trafficking. Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a severe human rights violation that affects men, women, and children worldwide.”

The sporting event brought together schools such as Accra Academy, Odorgonnor Senior High School, and Wesley Grammar Senior High School, among others, to compete for laurels. Some of the students who spoke to GBC News expressed satisfaction with the games.

They pledged their commitment to sensitize others on the human trafficking menace.