By Olimatou Coker
African Civil Society Reference Group Inc (ACSRG), has called for team work to disable human traffickers.
ACSRG group Inc Director made these remarks recently ahead of the commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in person which was commemorated on 30 July.
John Ede, Director of Africa Civil Society Reference Group Inc (ACSRG), said dismantling the complex nature of organised crime and human trafficking requires a multi-layered, multi-stakeholder, inter-agency, international collaboration and corporation. “We call on African governments to treat human trafficking as a national security concern and human rights emergency, strengthen laws and prosecutions, and dismantle the financial networks that sustain exploitation of human trafficking, strengthen regional institutions like the African Union, Regional Economic Commissions to harmonise legal frameworks, close jurisdictional gaps, and support cross-border survivour protection systems,” he said.
He urged governments to encourage increased investments in social protection, safe migration pathways, inclusive education, and dignified employment—particularly for women and children and advocate for civil society organisations and media to collaborate to dismantle the silence.
“As a pan-African platform, ACSRG reaffirms its commitment to elevating African civil society leadership in anti-trafficking advocacy, convening regional dialogues that connect policy with lived realities, supporting gender-responsive, localised approaches to prevention and survivour care, strengthening collaboration across humanitarian, legal, and migration sectors.”
He added that trafficking in-persons is not just a crime against individuals but a violation of human dignity.
“Together, we must dismantle the economic and political systems that allow traffickers to profit from vulnerability.”
This year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was organised under the theme “Human Trafficking is Organised Crime – End the Exploitation”.
