Advertisement

Journalists to build capacity on migration and anti-human trafficking issues
PIWA programme officer in charge of Migration, Mr. Tidiane Kasse

Journalists to build capacity on migration and anti-human trafficking issues

Dakar-based Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) and the Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), USA/Ghana, will hold a three-day investigative journalism capacity building workshop on anti-human trafficking and migration issues for selected Ghanaian journalists in Accra.  

The workshop by the two non-profit, non-partisan and non-governmental organizations which will be held from 5th to 7th August, 2016, is sponsored by the European Union and is on the theme: “Reporters of Borders: Towards a Network of African Journalists, Professionals, and Citizens Specialized on Migration Issues.”

PIWA programme officer in charge of Migration, Mr. Tidiane Kasse, explained that the workshop comes at a time when migration to Europe and the Middle East have increased with some migrants from Ghana and the West Africa region using irregular routes through the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea at the peril of their lives. 

He emphasized that migration can contribute to the socio-economic development of a country if managed within the framework of a nation’s migration policy and praised Ghana for formulating a National Migration Policy (NMP) “to help Ghana manage its internal, intra-regional, and international migration flows for poverty reduction and sustained national development.” 

ACILA Executive Director, Mr. William Nyarko, explained that the workshop will build the capacity of eight journalists in anti-human trafficking and migration issues to help support the deployment of the National Migration Policy as well as Ghana’s efforts at combatting domestic and international trafficking in persons, adding that public education also needs to be stepped up on false promises by employment agents who take money from unsuspecting Ghanaians with a promise of getting them jobs in the Gulf States only for these job seekers to be stranded abroad or their rights violated by their employers. 

“We hope that these journalists can help in bringing attention to these issues and educating the public”, Nyarko said.

He added that a fund will be established after the training to provide support for journalists who seek to apply the knowledge gained at the workshop by undertaking investigative journalism projects on migration and anti-human trafficking issues.

Speakers and subject matter experts will be drawn from the Ministry of the Interior; Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service; International Organization for Migration in Ghana; Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana, Legon; Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon; legal profession; and NGOs involved in anti-human trafficking work.

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |