The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has brought together stakeholders from the tourism, travel and security sectors to strengthen efforts to identify, prevent and respond to human trafficking.

According to a post shared on Facebook on Friday, October 9, the two-day Capacity Enhancement and Awareness Raising Session on Human Trafficking in, Around and Through Tourism and Sports, held from Wednesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 1 focused on vulnerabilities associated with travel, recruitment, tourism and sporting activities, as well as measures to prevent exploitation and improve victim protection.

The programme, organised through the Ministry’s Human Trafficking Secretariat, highlighted the potential exploitation of legitimate travel and sporting activities by traffickers to facilitate the movement and abuse of vulnerable people.

In a keynote statement delivered on her behalf by the Ministry’s Chief Director, Dr Marian W. A. Kpakpah, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, called for greater public awareness, ethical recruitment practices and effective referral mechanisms to identify people at risk and ensure they receive appropriate protection and support.

Dr Lartey stressed that human trafficking was not merely a criminal justice issue but also an assault on human dignity, freedom and fundamental human rights, requiring coordinated action across sectors.

She also emphasised the need for transparent and responsible recruitment for employment, travel and sporting opportunities, urging that individuals be given accurate information about opportunities, terms and conditions.

Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana Tourism Federation, travel and tour agencies and other relevant institutions participated in the engagement.

Discussions covered the links between human trafficking, migration, tourism and child exploitation, alongside victim identification and protection, the National Referral Mechanism, ethical recruitment, trafficking in sports, safeguarding and child protection.

Participants also conducted sector-specific risk mapping exercises for tourism, sports, travel and recruitment, identifying vulnerabilities and examining their respective roles in strengthening prevention, protection, referrals and responses.