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