IOM Counter Trafficking Project in

Ghana

OPERATIONAL FLOW

Presented by Eric B. PeasahField Manager

Counter-Trafficking and Irregular Migration

IOM

The Five “R”s Concept

FIVE “R” PROCESSES RESEARCH/REGISTRATION

RESCUE/RELEASE

REHABILITATION/RECOVERY

RETURN/REUNIFICATION

REINTEGRATION

RESEARCH/REGISTRATION

The purpose of research is to determine the root causes, magnitude, nature, routes, and trends related to child trafficking in order to design appropriate interventions to prevent parents or guardians from sending their children into the hands of traffickers, protect the children victims, and punish the perpetrators.

RESEARCH/REGISTRATION Research is an essential component of proper

planning and strategizing for the development of projects and programmes specifically designed to prevent or combat child trafficking

Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are employed in order to collect and compile accurate data that will assist the programme developer in targeting the most vulnerable groups in the most highly-endemic geographical areas

RESEARCH/REGISTRATION

Qualitative Methods Include:1) Community Entry and Mapping

Techniques2) Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA)3) Sensitization Meetings4) Focus Group Discussions

RESEARCH/REGISTRATION

Quantitative Methods Include:1) Random Sampling Techniques2) Administration of Questionnaires3) Distribution of Surveys4) In-Depth Interviews

RESEARCH/REGISTRATION It is crucial that we locate & identify new fishing

villages harbouring trafficked children

Once identified, both the fishermen & the children must be registered & photographed

Proper documentation takes much time and effort, thus collaboration is highly beneficial in this regard

RESCUE/RELEASE

The purpose of rescuing trafficked children is to remove them from the hazardous, exploitative, and sometimes life-threatening conditions of forced labour that deprive them of a healthy childhood

To rescue a child is a delicate and sensitive matter and any rescue team must be careful in how it operates so as not to put the child at risk of harm

RESCUE/RELEASE Before children can be rescued & released from

bondage, the entire fishing community must be sensitized and educated about the evils of child trafficking for labour exploitation

Opinion leaders must be consulted & involved in this process

The children then must be admitted to a child –friendly transit camp, rehabilitation centre, shelter, or other interim care facility to be given comprehensive medical & psycho-social assistance

REHABILITATION/RECOVERY

The rationale behind rehabilitation is to enable the child to reach full recovery and complete the healing process in order to give the child an opportunity to have a promising future

This will foster the child’s growth and development into a responsible and productive adult who will make a contribution to his or her society

REHABILITATION/RECOVERY

Most trafficked children are highly traumatized & must be counselled, instructed, and guided thoroughly before being returned to their parents

It is important to conduct in-depth interviews and social investigations with every child to discover what forms of abuse s/he suffered while working for fishermen

RETURN/REUNIFICATION The main goal of sending the children back to

their parents or guardians is that they are much better off in their care in most cases rather than fishing under hazardous conditions for fishermen who deprive them of their rights as children

Before reuniting the children with their caretakers, however, it is important to trace and develop case files on their parents or guardians through direct interaction and observation of the general environment over a few months to ensure they are suitable

RETURN/REUNIFICATION Transportation of the children must be arranged well

in advance to ensure that the children safely reach their final destination—the arms of their parents

Children should only be reunited with those parents or guardians who have been deemed capable of responsibly looking after their children

Alternatives should be sought when suitable parents are not located

REINTEGRATION

The primary purpose of reintegration is to nurture and support the child’s development in a comfortable environment that is conducive to motivating the child to flourish as a student or apprentice and suitable to fostering the child’s growth into an adult

REINTEGRATIONAt bare minimum, reintegration

assistance encompasses: Placement of children in schools or

vocational training institutes Payment of school or apprenticeship

fees Provision of school supplies & uniforms

or tools Establishment of scholarship schemes

and mentoring and tutoring programmes to encourage tailored and sustainable reintegration

REINTEGRATION

Micro-credit assistance must be issued to parents to enable them to meet the nutritional, medical, and other essential needs of their children

Assistance could be given in the form of skills and credit management training, loans, distribution of provisions and implements, or information campaigns

OPERATIONAL FLOWPROCESS

1. RESCUEa. Whom do we rescue?b. How do we rescue?

i Sensitization Visit communities Meet with chiefs of fishing communities on the

lake Educate the communities on the Human

Trafficking Act Educate them on the dangers in using children in

fishing Inform them about the need to release the

children Inform them about the project Leave them to decide Why can’t we force them because there is a law?

ii Registration and Photography

Return to the community for response Register the children that the fishermen are

ready to release Photograph them and take details of both

the fishermen and children Fill in personal history form of each child

and his or her master fisherman Identify one fisherman who can help trace

the parents of the children in their communities of origin

ii Registration and Photography Recover the child from the

fisherman Keep them in a transit centre at Yeji

or Atebubu for a maximum of one week

Send them to the DSW’s Madina Rehabilitation Centre

Send the details of the child to IOM Accra

iii Needs Assessment of Fishermen and Skills Training

Assess the business needs of all fishermen Identify their business potential Organize skills training workshop for them

(BAC or NBSSI) Help them identify

alternative livelihood in addition to fishing if possible

Sign contract with them

iii Needs Assessment of Fishermen and Skills Training contd.

Assist them with procurement of inputs Monitoring of fishermen-six months to one year When a fisherman recruits another child after

assistance, he can be arrested Monthly visits to fishermen See to the welfare of the fisherman and

business Make sure they are not using children in any of

their work Use them to educate their community

REHABILITATION – SOCIAL WELFARE REHABILITATION CENTRE, MADINA

Discussion on:a. What are the normal

conditions under which children should grow?

b. What are the possible difficulties that a child given out to help in fishing for a fee would go through and what would be the effects on the child?

Why Rehabilitation?SHARING AN EXPERIENCE ON THE LAKE

By Mr. Kwasi Opoku Mensah

Stages in Rehabilitation Conduct medical screening and treatment Provide clothing/footwear/toiletries Give orientation of roles Carry out final screening of identity of children

and cross-checking on their background Write the story of each child Provide psychosocial counseling to each child Help children to overcome trauma Build self-esteem of each child

Stages in Rehabilitation Contd.

Helping them to develop self-confidence Teaching to have love for and forgive parents Helping them to build trust Developing team-building in them Assessing their school and apprenticeship needs or

level Preparing them for school and apprenticeship Preparing them for reunification Providing school supplies and uniforms Arranging to transport them for the reunification

ceremony

3. REINTEGRATION PROCESS1. Parent identification in the town of origin2. Return to sending community and conduct

social investigation on parents3. Assessment of home situation 4. If not convenient, identity alternative family

member (what factors can make a home inconvenient)

5. Reintegration team member and FC moves to the RC to interact with children and hear their story

6. Conduct needs assessment of potential parents or guardians for micro-credit assistance or alternative

REINTERGRATION PROCESS contd.

7. Formation of groups with respect to business interest

8. Educate parents/guardians on effective of trafficking on their children, community and nation

9. Educate P/G on Human Trafficking Bill10. Organize skills development and

management training for P/G (BAC and NBSSI)

11. Help them to reconsider their business plan12. Provide assistance to them through banks

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd

13. Assessment of schools in the communities for possible placement of children

14. Identification of schools and apprenticeship for each child

15. Finalized school placement for each child16. Organization of reunification ceremony (discuss what

it takes)17. Reunite children with family and provide school

supplies to them18. Placement of children in schools and apprenticeships19. Monitor children at schools

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd

20. Monitor children within the communities21. Continue psychosocial counseling support to

children22. Register parents with NHIS23. Organize 2 medical missions (mobile clinics)

to major sending communities 24. Form community watchdog committee

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd25. Education of major sending

communities on the following:

Human Trafficking Bill Dangers involved in child trafficking Rights of children Role of parents in the upbringing of their

children Community initiatives and development The role of the community in curbing

trafficking of children

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd :

26. Means of education can be through:

Local drama Puppetry shows Community Durbars Parent Teacher Association meetings Use of chiefs and opinion leaders Any other means deemed practical District Assemblies

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd

27. Involvement of other community members in the project through:

Quarterly football gala between our communities

Programmes for Moslem and Christian groupings

Men and women and children in the community

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd :

28. Community Projects Kente Weaving Project Salt Project Irrigation Project Gari Factory etc

REINTEGRATION PROCESS contd :

29. Mentoring and Tutoring programmes30. Scholarship schemes31. Opening of NGO accounts32. Reporting and project evaluation33. Monthly implementing partners

meeting34. Quarterly implementing partners

meeting

THANK YOUFOR YOUR ATTENTION AND

PARTICIPATION