Jos, 03 September, 2019 / 5:57 am (ACI Africa).
The Africa regional conference on human trafficking planned for next month, the second one of its kind on the continent, will seek to create awareness on the menace of trading human beings.
“This coming conference on human trafficking will be the second in Africa, after the very first one which took place last year in Abuja, Nigeria,” the National Executive Secretary, Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Sea Farers, Margaret Masibo told ACI Africa Monday.
She disclosed that the conference, slated to take place from October 1-4, is “basically to sensitize the people and create awareness on how to deal with human trafficking” which Pope Francis referred to as “a modern slavery.”
“We expect participants from East Africa region and beyond, the clergy, the religious, the laity the bishops, those who have interest and all those who deal with human trafficking issues and especially those who participated in Nigeria,” she said.
The continental meeting will also seek to bring together Church and law enforcement agencies to address the problem of human trafficking on the African continent.
To be convened under the theme “Sensitizing the local communities on dangers against human trafficking,” the convention will also seek to develop strategies for pastoral care of victims and the nurturing of partnership with state institutions in Africa.
“We need to know where we are right now and then what more we need to do after the conference,” Mrs. Masibo hinted to the evaluative nature of the planned second conference.
Illustrating the impact of the previous meeting on the continent, Mrs. Masibo who manages human resources at the Kenya Conference of Catholic bishops (KCCB) testified, “We have done sensitization and trainings by working with the religious, the Caritas, and the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) against human trafficking, so they too can carry on with the activities.”
KCCB Chairman Archbishop Philip Anyolo has encouraged those planning to participate in the conference to register in good time to ensure they do not miss out.
