The vulnerability of children must inspire journalists to research, investigate and put a spotlight on human trafficking, Mr Bismarck Quartey, Senior Country Manager of the Free the Slaves (FTS), a Non-governmental organisation said on Wednesday.
He said trafficked victims, and survivors, particularly children went through serious exploitation including sexual abuses that were inimical to their growth and development, saying, survivors and victims’ experienced serious emotional and psychological disorders.
Mr Quartey gave the advice when he addressed the opening session of two-day media training on human trafficking and modern slavery underway in Kumasi.
FTS is an NGO, which uses experience, insight, and evidence developed on the front lines, to advocate stronger anti-trafficking laws, and increased funding of anti-slavery programmes.
Being attended by 10 selected journalists, and other partners the training, organised by FTS, focuses on issues of human trafficking, human rights dimension, as well as overcoming the challenges in reporting human trafficking cases.
It would further uncover reporters to international and national anti-slavery laws, and commitments by the government to protect vulnerable groups.
Mr Quartey indicated that trafficking in humans and modern day slavery remained the greatest and worst form of human rights abuse and challenge, and the media should therefore provide a space in its agenda setting role to increase awareness about human trafficking.
He said government and civil society actors were doing much to ensure that human trafficking was brought under control through policies formulation and implementation, and the media must collectively put a spotlight on trafficking.
Mr Quartey said human trafficking remained global in nature, and occurred at the community levels, and that required a concerted and collective approach to tackle, noting, “trafficking can even take place within the same community and everybody must be watchful”.
