Today 31st July 2023, ASATTAHIR International Foundation (AIF) has participated in the celebration of World Day Against Human Trafficking organized by the Civil Society Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) Sokoto state chapter in collaboration with NAPTIP Sokoto Zonal Command.
The theme for 2023 celebration was tagged *’Reach Every Victim of Trafficking, Leave no One Behind’* which was held at American Space Sokoto.
The Foundation was represented by Rufus Yagkong the Head of Programs and Research who doubles as the Sokoto state Coordinator NACTAL and Shalom Yusuf Atiku.
In his welcoming address, the NACTAL Sokoto state Coordinator thanked the Zonal Commander NAPTIP and his team, representative of the Coalition of NGOs Sokoto state chapter, member organizations including members of the press for sparing time to participate in the commemoration of the World Day Against Human Trafficking 2023.
He noted that this year’s theme calls for synergy among partners and resilience to effectively address human trafficking and appropriately respond to the victims of TIP.
In the same vein, Sokoto zonal commander NAPTIP, Abubakar A. Tabra and Mal. Bello Sambo who represented the Chairman Coalition of NGOs Sokoto in their goodwill messages noted how important the World Day Against Human Trafficking celebration is.
The Zonal Commander stated that World Day Against Human Trafficking is a day set by the United Nations which is observed every 30th of July to raise awareness and call for actions from governments and partners across the globe to effectively prevent and respond to the incidences of TIP.
There was a film show during the activity. A documentary shown by NAPTIP on the successes achieved in the fight against human trafficking in the early 2000s, new techniques of TIP, causes of TIP (such as war, civil unrest, natural disasters, economic collapse, corruption and poverty etc.) the forms of TIP and exploitations, the impacts of TIP on victims especially women, girls and children and way forward.
Sokoto state Coordinator (NACTAL) used the medium to urged member organizations to remain committed and ready to leverage on their various organizational capabilities to prevent or appropriately respond to cases of TIP.
There was a walk by participants to the government house to advocate for government support in the fight against TIP in the state.
The Deputy Governor Sokoto state Alh. Idris Mohammad Gobir alongside the government house Chief of Staff, Alh. Aminu Haliru Dikko and Acting Perm. Sec. government house, Alh. Aminu Dan Mallam received the NACTAL member organizations and representatives of NAPTIP at the government house.
The team told the deputy governor that Sokoto has been a Source, Destination and Transit state for perpetrators of TIP to carry out their condemnable acts for a very long time which requires urgent and well coordinated interventions to curb its occurrence.
He assured to give CSOs the enabling environment in the state for their interventions to positively impact the lives of people especially in the areas of prevention and response to human trafficking.
The celebration ended with a group photograph with the deputy governor, respected government dignitaries, Zonal Commander NAPTIP and the executives of NACTAL.
