The media and journalists in Ghana have been advised to delve more into stories that seek to educate the public about human trafficking in Ghana and around the world.

Speaking to JoyNews after a one-day intensive workshop for the International Justice Mission’s (IJM) second cohort of the Young Journalists’ Fellowship program, National Director of Advocacy & Partnerships at the International Justice Mission, Worlanyo Kojo Forster, encouraged journalists to help complement the government’s efforts in fighting human trafficking by being more resourceful.

“The media needs to understand the space more. When you understand something, you can be a better advocate and so I encourage journalists to delve more into human trafficking and have an understanding of the laws that govern trafficking in our nation and even the world.

“I also encourage journalists to be more resourceful in terms of being investigative, being more on the field and helping to hold officials accountable and support the government agencies who are already doing the work so they can maximize their strength and skills”.

Meanwhile, IJM has inducted 14 young journalists selected across Ghana into the one year long Young Journalists Fellowship Program cohort 2.  Worlanyo Kojo Forster, says this is to train young journalists on issues of human trafficking for them to become better advocates.

“The purpose of this fellowship is to engage young journalists to train them on issues of child trafficking, to give them an understanding of it, help them to understand the policies we have as a country and how we can hold officials accountable so we can continue to maximize our efforts against child trafficking.

“Last year we started a cohort where we engaged 10 young journalists who are fairly new in the profession to have basic understanding of the issues of trafficking and help the to better advocates of it and have them in their line of work and it was hugely successful and this year we are launching a second cohort as well.”

JoyNews’ Nicholas Ekow Yamoah was one the journalists selected to be part Young Journalist Fellowship Program cohort 2 with others from Adom TV, Ghone TV, GBC, GNA, ZamiReports, and Beyond FM.

IJM Ghana is empowering 14 young and energetic journalists from various media houses, radio, television, and print media as part of its efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking through the use of mass media and also maintain a strategic relationship with journalists and media outlets through the Young Journalist Fellowship Program cohort 2.

The journalists are from different parts of Ghana, specifically from source and destination communities with a history of human trafficking. Over the course of their one-year fellowship program, these young journalists, who are connected to prestigious media outlets, will cover human trafficking and IJM’s activities.