In partnership with the United States Government and the Government of Ghana, IOM Ghana is hosting three consecutive one-week training sessions for 72 law enforcement officials on investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons cases, especially involving children. The training is designed to bolster the knowledge and skills of prosecutors and investigators for a successful prosecution of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases.
As part of the Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership between IOM Ghana, the US Government, and the Government of Ghana, IOM is training delegates from the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), and Attorney Generals (AG) on a comprehensive series of learning experiences and activities that cover current good practice techniques and skills required in any successful TIP case, with special attention on a child-centred approach.
Ghana’s Minister of the Interior, Prosper Bani and the United States Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, kicked off the program by welcoming delegates and providing opening remarks on the seriousness of the human trafficking situation in Ghana.
For the second year in a row, Ghana has been ranked as a Tier 2 Watch List country in the 2016 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US, meaning that the Ghanaian government is not fully meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons.
“The US is committed to working with Ghana to tackle human trafficking now. Law enforcement officials and prosecutors are the linchpins of the Ghanaian government’s efforts and we are counting on you to ensure that individuals are prosecuted”, said Ambassador Jackson.
Mr. Bani added; “The Government of Ghana has taken the position of Ghana on Tier 2 Watch List very seriously and is committed to putting measures in place to ensure an improvement. The task of defeating human trafficking is pertinent to safeguarding our national security”.
The IOM organized training will be delivered by AEquitas—a the United States based organization of former prosecutors that specializes in training related to the prosecution of human trafficking. Delivered in an interactive manner, the training will require delegates to engage in group exercises, brainstorming sessions, demonstrations and role playing.
Over the course of the three-week training, 72 police officers and prosecutors will be trained to ensure they are equipped with the skills to successfully manage all of the steps to effectively prosecute TIP cases in court.
