A Non-Governmental Organization, Girls Power Initiative (GPI), involved in the fight against child trafficking has met with key protection actors on how to deepen its Act against Child Trafficking in Nigeria (AACTING) Project.
The event which took place in Asaba had major stakeholders in the field of providing protection services to children from several local governments in the state in attendance.
At the maiden meeting which was also attended by officials of the state task force against human trafficking, and the Ministry of Women Affairs, the coordinator of GPI, Mrs May Ikoghode spoke on the objectives of the Act against Child Trafficking in Nigeria (AACTING) project. Ikoghode said that the AACTING Project is an upscale of another project known as “Don’t Pay With Your Life”. She declared that the meeting was to appraise the efforts of protection actors and re-strategise on how to improve their performance.
While speaking on the origin of “Don’t Pay With Your Life”, she said that it was executed in Edo State from 2017 to 2021 and was established in Delta State in September 2023.
She said child trafficking for sexual exploitation both internally and externally has become a global menace which must be stopped.
She explained to the stakeholders that they are the nearest to the ecosystem surrounding the child, noting that the essence of the meeting is for them to share ideas. She added that GPI wants to set up watch groups in the various communities where they are carrying out their duties, adding that they want to set up child champions club, out-of-school club, and in-school club, in every local government area of the state.
