ECOWAS ASSESSES THE IMPACT OF ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ITS MEMBER STATES
On the 31st of July 2025, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), met to review the levels of implementation of the financial support granted in 2024 to victims of human trafficking (VoT) in member states. This support, totalling USD 516,000, was granted on the basis of the 2023 Annual Summary Report and the continuing need for enhanced support to victims, in partnership with the IOM, ECOWAS Resident Representatives, and National Focal Points for Combating Trafficking.
The Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr. Sintiki T. Ugbe, in her welcome speech, expressed her gratitude to the leadership of the ECOWAS Commission, particularly to Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, and His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Commission, for approving the grant of USD 516,000 (five hundred and sixteen thousand US dollars) to support victims of traffick ing. She stated that through this grant, the Commission has provided essential services and made significant progress in the fight against human trafficking.
The Director emphasised that the validation of the ECOWAS TIP Plus Strategy also represented an important step forward and would strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the fight against human trafficking. It would also help to prevent the damage caused by related crimes, which tend to increase the vulnerability of various categories of people to trafficking. She stated that the collective efforts of each actor had led to significant progress and that the Commission hoped for continued collaboration. In conclusion, she thanked the ECOWAS Resident Representatives in the Member States, the National Focal Points, and the IOM for their commitment to the implementation of the project and for its success.
Ms. Nassima Clerin, Regional Thematic Specialist for Protection, IOM Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal, thanked ECOWAS for its unwavering support and commitment to combating human trafficking in the region. She emphasised the need for a unified, strategic, and coordinated response to the organised crime of human trafficking. She noted that the growing number of cases along major migration corridors underscores the urgency of strengthening protection systems. She reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to collaborate with ECOWAS and member states to support victims, strengthen legal frameworks, and dismantle trafficking networks.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Ms. Dimanche Sharon, also reiterated the IOM’s willingness to continue and even strengthen its collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission in the fight against human trafficking, as well as in the advancement of other programmes contributing to orderly migration and the realisation of the rights of all people in the region.
The meeting was chaired by Mr. Dehunge Shiaka, Executive Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Agency of the Republic of Sierra Leone. He expressed his gratitude to ECOWAS for its relentless advocacy in the fight against human trafficking in the region. He commended the Commission’s commitment to implementing initiatives focused on protecting the most vulnerable people in the region and effectively promoting regional cooperation.
The meeting featured a presentation on the ECOWAS Principles on the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons and the Situation of Victims of Trafficking in West Africa, as well as a presentation by the IOM on the status of implementation of the ECOWAS TIP Support Fund. The presentation of the ECOWAS Principles on the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons highlighted key provisions relating to the accommodation of victims, the protection of victims and witnesses, and specific protection requirements for child victims or those vulnerable to trafficking.
In the IOM report presented by Ms. Teresa Botella on the status of project implementation, it was revealed that more than 1,113 victims of human trafficking had benefited from support through the initiative, far exceeding the initial target of 800 victims and achieving an implementation rate of nearly 100%. Ms. Teresa Botella mentioned that 47% of the beneficiaries were minors, while 53% were adults. It was also indicated that the beneficiaries consisted of 233 boys, 290 girls, 114 men, and 476 women.
Survivors of human trafficking received comprehensive support, including basic needs such as food, clothing, and medical care, as well as educational assistance (school fees and learning materials) to facilitate their reintegration into school.
In addition, vocational training and empowerment kits were provided to give them the skills and resources necessary for sustainable livelihoods and economic independence. These initiatives aimed to promote self-sufficiency, dignity, and the overall well-being of survivors.
Participants, including representatives of Member States’ National Focal Points for combating human trafficking, welcomed ECOWAS’ support and emphasised its relevance in the overall fight against human trafficking. Member States agreed on the need to establish and finance National Trust Funds for Combating Trafficking in Persons (to which ECOWAS support is complementary) and to explore innovative financing mechanisms, including donations from the private sector.
The capacity-building issues raised at the meeting will, according to the decisions taken, the issue will be addressed through ancillary projects of the ECOWAS Commission and its partner organisations. Member States called on ECOWAS to implement a second phase of funding, with the Commission committing to consider this request, subject to the availability of resources. The meeting also recognised the educational and experiential value of the project’s systems, including the opportunity for TIP focal organisations to test the effectiveness of their National Referral Mechanisms for VoTs and to identify and improve data management issues.
Participants at the meeting included representatives of National Focal Points responsible for combating human trafficking, ECOWAS Resident Representatives in Member States, officials from the International Organisation for Migration at the national and regional levels, representatives from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, GIZ agents, and staff from the ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs.
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