Engage Now Africa Lecture on Human Trafficking at Ensign Global College

Egage Now Africa (ENA) was recently invited to deliver a lecture on Human Trafficking at Ensign Global College. The program, organized by Dr. Sandra Kurshitor, a lecturer at the college, was held as a hybrid event, with over 30 participants joining via Zoom and 20 attending in person. The lecture was led by the Director of ENA, Mr. Afasi Komla, and supported by the End Modern Slavery (EMS) Team.

This lecture came at a pivotal moment, as the introduction of the Public Health Approach in combating human trafficking has underscored the urgent need for public health personnel to play an active role in addressing this issue.

The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of human trafficking, including:

Definition and Types of Human Trafficking: Participants were introduced to the various forms of human trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, organ trafficking, and domestic servitude. Mr. Afasi Komla spoke on the focus areas of Engage Now Africa: Human trafficking, Worst Forms of Child Labour, Violence against Women and children and Harmful cultural practices

Contributing Factors: Mr. Afasi highlighted economic hardships, unemployment, poverty and lack of education( ignorance on human trafficking) as major drivers of modern slavery. For instance, individuals from impoverished communities are often lured by traffickers under the disguise of job opportunities, only to be exploited in foreign countries or in urban areas.

Global Statistics: Attendees were informed about the alarming global statistics. According to the International Labour Organization, approximately 50 million people worldwide are trapped in modern slavery, with women and children being disproportionately affected.

Economic and Health Implications: The economic toll of human trafficking is immense, costing global economies billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and enforcement costs. The cost of tracking and punishing perpetrators is expensive. Victims often face severe health challenges, such as physical injuries from abuse, sexually transmitted infections, and long-term psychological trauma. For example, victims of sexual exploitation may develop PTSD, depression, or anxiety disorders, while those forced into labor often suffer from chronic ailments due to hazardous working conditions and inadequate healthcare.

National Legal Frameworks and International Protocols: The session emphasized the laws and international protocols designed to combat human trafficking, such as the Palermo Protocol and regional agreements.

Warning Signs: Participants learned to identify red flags, including signs of physical abuse, lack of personal freedom, and inconsistent stories from individuals about their circumstances.

Mr. Afasi also detailed ENA’s efforts in combating human trafficking through rescue operations, advocacy, and awareness campaigns. Over the years, ENA has collaborated with various state institutions mandated by law, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Health Service,Ghana Education Service, Anti Human Trafficking Secretariat, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Attorney General Department and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

The organisation also works with international networks like the Commonwealth 8.7 Network, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), African Survivors Coalition, WhatsOn, UNODC Civil Society Unit- Stakeholder Engagement for UNTOC , International Center for Sexual Exploitation and Walk Free Foundation to combat human trafficking on a global scale.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Afasi introduced the Public Health Approach as the missing link in combating human trafficking. While the Criminal Justice Approach has been effective in prosecuting traffickers, it often overlooks the needs of survivors. The Public Health Approach seeks to:

Prevent trafficking by addressing root causes like poverty and lack of education.

Mitigate impact by providing immediate health and psychological care to victims.

Address long-term needs of survivors, such as rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Mr. Afasi called for the integration of these two approaches, urging public health experts to bring their expertise to the forefront in combating human trafficking.

The lecture concluded with a lively question-and-answer session. Participants raised pertinent questions about the role of NGOs in trafficking, the challenges of reintegration, and ways to identify potential traffickers. ENA also distributed educational booklets detailing the stages of human trafficking and the warning signs to look out for.

To further illustrate the realities of human trafficking, a brief video was shown, highlighting the plight of 14 men trafficked from to Russia under the false promise of agricultural and security jobs. Instead, they were forced into military training, handled weapons and sent to war.

This enlightening session underscored the multifaceted nature of human trafficking and the collective effort required to combat it. Engage Now Africa remains committed to its mission of ending modern slavery through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

In conclusion, Dr. Sandra Kurshitor appreciated the lecture and expressed her interest in working with us in the future.

She also urged the students who would want to do their final project work on issues of Human Trafficking in collaboration with Engage Now Africa to feel free to approach her.