Closed shelters infringe on rights of trafficked victims, Commission tells NAPTIP

The United Nation’s High Commission for Human Rights yesterday called on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to operate open shelters for the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking.
Addressing journalists in Abuja at the end of a one-week assessment of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts across the country, the UNHCHR’s special rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Maria Giammarinaro, tasked the Nigerian government to provide adequate resources to specialised agencies and programmes dedicated to the fight against human trafficking in the country.
“While visiting NAPTIP shelters, I noticed with concern that they are ‘closed shelters,’ infringing the freedom of movement of survivors and perpetuating the false assumption that victims of trafficking have to be locked up for their security, even though they have not committed any crime.
“I would like to stress that shelters managed by civil society organisations are open and are in fact used by NAPTIP itself to refer its victims after the six-week period of stay in NAPTIP shelters has expired.
This shows that operating open shelters for victims of trafficking is possible and does not imply major security problems,” said Ms Giammarinaro.
She also noted that the six weeks provided for victims’ recovery is too small.
She acknowledged the growing partnership between NAPTIP and civic organisations and called for funding of such organisations.
Mrs Giammarinaro also noted the various legislations and programmes aimed at combating the menace.
“Nigeria has a solid legal foundation to combat trafficking, starting from the Constitution which prohibits slavery or servitude, and forced or compulsory labour (Article 34.1).
“The most comprehensive framework is provided by the antitrafficking Act adopted in 2003 and amended in 2005 and 2015, which provides for a definition of trafficking in accordance with the Palermo Protocol, ratified by Nigeria in 2001.
“Yet even the most innovative legislation remains a dead letter if it is not seriously and strongly enforced.” She acknowledged the efforts of NAPTIP in ensuring the prosecution of 362 individuals since 2004, saying a lot of work was still required to prevent Nigerians from falling victims of trafficking.
(Premium Times)