Accra: The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reiterated the need for national Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to address human trafficking. The Ministry emphasized that these SOPs are crucial in providing a coordinated framework for stakeholders involved in the identification, protection, and prosecution processes related to human trafficking.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the sector minister, highlighted this need during a four-day regional experience sharing mission on trauma-informed care and shelter operationalisation in Accra. This event was organized by the Ministry in collaboration with Expertise France under the MIGRET Project. The mission gathered stakeholders from Ghana, C´te d’Ivoire, and Guinea to enhance cross-border collaboration and share experiences in combating human trafficking.
Human trafficking, as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception, with the intent to exploit them for profit. Dr. Lartey noted that the SOPs would enhance regional cooperation among participating countries. The SOP guide includes chapters on identification and screening protocols, systematic investigation of child trafficking cases, and providing comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and trauma-informed assistance.
The guide aligns with national legislation on Trafficking in Persons (TiP), including the 2005 Human Trafficking Act (Act 694), the 2009 Human Trafficking Amendment Act (Act 784), and the 2015 Human Trafficking Legislative Instrument 2219 (L.I. 2219). Although tailored to Ghana, it adheres to international standards, best practices, and guiding principles. Dr. Lartey stated that the experience-sharing initiative would allow experts from various law enforcement agencies to offer insights, opinions, and suggestions on effectively handling human trafficking cases.
The event also provided a platform for Ghana to share its practices concerning victim care, reintegration, and shelter management with the delegations from the other countries. “I believe at the end of the experience-sharing mission, learning countries would be able to share data and resources which would aid in increased and effective collaboration and enable them to operationalize their shelters more efficiently,” Dr. Lartey added.
Dr. Lartey commended Expertise France for collaborating with the Human Trafficking Secretariat on the project ‘Support the fight against human trafficking in the states of the Gulf of Guinea.’ The project resulted in the establishment of a transit shelter for trafficked victims in Aflao, the renovation and refurbishment of the Human Trafficking Secretariat and Trauma Informed Care Centre, and the refurbishment of the Adult and Children shelters. Additionally, it included capacity-building programs for over 600 stakeholders and partners.
She emphasized that human trafficking is a crime and an abuse of rights, robbing victims of their freedom and identity and causing psychological harm. The Minister highlighted that two shelters-Adult and Children’s Shelters-have been operational since 2018 and 2019, respectively, to care for trafficking victims, ensuring their protection and access to justice. Since the shelters began operations, 703 victims have been successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated.
Dr. Lartey stressed the government’s commitment to empowering and protecting society’s vulnerable. Madam Sweta Bonnet, MIGRET Project Director at Expertise France, noted that a major challenge in C´te d’Ivoire’s fight against human trafficking is creating an environment that enables victims to rebuild their lives and regain dignity. In partnership with Ivorian authorities, they aim to leverage Ghana’s experience to ensure that the center they plan to build meets international standards while addressing national realities.
Madam Bonnet praised Ghana’s structured and effective approach to managing its three shelters, describing it as a model worthy of emulation.