Human trafficking: Ex-Gambian VP calls for strong legislation

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Former Gambian Vice-President, Hajiya Fatoumata Tambajang

Former Gambian Vice-President, Hajiya Fatoumata Tambajang

A former Gambian Vice-President, Hajiya Fatoumata Tambajang, has called for stronger legislation to curtail the menace of human trafficking in Africa.

Tambajang said this in Abuja, while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of the Second Africa Women Conference on Human Trafficking, which was organised by All Africa Media Network.

Tambajang underscored the need to have strong legislation to deter people from engaging in human trafficking, saying that government, the civil society and other stakeholders must work together to strengthen extant anti-human trafficking legislation.

She stressed that this would go a long way to address the menace of human trafficking in a more comprehensive way.

“When we look at the root causes of human trafficking, the most common one is the limited opportunities which young people have in their countries.

“Most of these people are not educated, they cannot find employment in their various countries and those who find employment are being paid meagre salary,” she said.

Tambajang called on stakeholders such as the media, civil society and local authorities, among others, to look into how to deal with human trafficking in a more pragmatic way.

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“We need stronger legislation against illegal migration, which is the bedrock of human traffickin

“Some countries have adopted regulations, which have yet to be implemented, to ensure that people are not involved in illegal migration and human trafficking,’’ she said.

Tambajang, nonetheless, stressed the need for Africa to work with the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and other development partners in efforts to create opportunities that would aid the socio-economic fulfilment of the youth.

She noted that human trafficking involved slavery, sex slavery, sale of human beings as it obtained in Libya and some countries.

She said that a lot of hapless persons were entangled in domestic slavery, citing hired house helps who were often traumatised or neglected in households as a case in point.

The former vice-president urged the government to create an enabling environment for private sector participation in job creation activities so as to encourage young people, who were potential victims of human trafficking, to jettison the idea of travelling overseas to boost their living standards.

Tambajang said that sound economic policies that would spur economic growth and provide opportunities in the agricultural and productive sectors as well as trade incentives should be put in place to discourage the youth from being ensnared by human traffickers.

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