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Media Training to eliminate human traficking

May 2, 2005

I thank Wenchu Yu Perkins on issues raised with regard to my proposal In 2000, my organisation, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) began a project in collaboration with UN Population Fund (UNFPA), to forge partnership with the media to sustain awareness on population and development issues. I am coordinating that project in which we are working with three training institutions, by integrating population and development issues in their curricula. I mentioned this briefly in the proposal submitted, but not in detail owing to space constraint. So it is very pertinent to do this during the sensitisation of mass communication students. Nigeria is a consumer, supplier, and transit country of human trafficking, and UNICEF estimates that about 15 million children are vulnerable, out of the more than 60 million children in a population of 130 million people. Media perception on human trafficking in my country was low, while the level of reportage was perfunctory and at best sensational. (This was a research study I conducted in 2003) With the start of a model of the media project few months ago in which we directly enlisted media support, the reportorial landscape has changed, through the application of some of the strategies listed in my proposal. Stakeholders striving to eliminate human trafficking should work continuously with the media, which can make or mar any programme, depending on their perception and levels of commitment. Through sensitisation, the media in my country are now more prepared to eliminate human trafficking. And this can work in other countries. Thank you. Yours Sincerely, Buki Ponle.

Buki Ponle, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Asst. Editor-In-Chief & Head, Health, Population & Environment Desk.