By Olimatou Coker
National Agency Against Trafficking (NAATIP) under the purview of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) continues to build the capacity of Civil Society Organistaions on trafficking in persons.
Speaking during a training recently held at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul, Mrs Tulai Jawara Ceesay, executive director, NAATIP, said the agency was created primarily to combat cases of trafficking in persons as a form of transnational organized crime.
She said part of their mandate is to educate the public including potential victims, about the causes and consequences of trafficking, adopt measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex and participation in international sex tourism.
She said Naatip conducts tours around the border areas across the country which provide an opportunity to educate grass-roots communities on ills of trafficking in persons.
Hamidou Jallow, Center for Street Children and Child Trafficking Studies, said the identification of victims is important because it’s the responsibility of the state employees to persevere the right of citizens and non-citizens.
He said victims of trafficking seem anxious, fearful, or paranoid, avoid eye-contact, tearfulness or sign of depression, unexplained bruises or cuts or other signs of physical abuse, are all signs.
Bafo Jeng, Senior State Counsel, said trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants are considered crimes under the United Nations protocol to prevent, support, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and the protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea, and air.
