By Amadou Jadama
The national agency against Trafficking-in persons (NAATIP) recently conducted a first-ever capacity-building training for station officers from different jurisdictions within the Kanifing Municipality on issues relating to human trafficking.
The training focused on identifying key indicators of trafficking and the legal framework for TIP to facilitate the efficiency of their work.
Held at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), the training also focused on national referral mechanisms and other key issues aimed at curbing human trafficking in the country.
The Naatip executive director, Isatou Dabo, said the institution has been very proactive and remains steadfast in preventing the growing menace of human trafficking by coming up with mechanisms to protect victims and prosecute offenders.
“It is part of the agency’s broader mandate to ensure the safety of vulnerable individuals and make The Gambia a trafficking-free country,” she said.
She expressed gratitude to the police high command for their continued collaboration with Naatip.
She described the training as a step in the right direction and one that would significantly help in curbing the growing scourge of human trafficking in the country.
The former magistrate added that human trafficking is a growing threat.
“Some of the officers, as part of their daily routine, come across cases that are either directly TIP or in one way or another related to it but may or may not know it’s trafficking,” she said while highlighting the complexity of trafficking.
She said there are cases where people will pay money believing they are travelling to their preferred destination only to find themselves being trafficked.
