The Independent (Banjul)
Ahmed Carayol
19 August 2005
Banjul — In her efforts to combat child trafficking the government of The Gambia has agreed to sign a multilateral agreement to combat child trafficking in West Africa with the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo.
This was revealed at the first annual conference on child trafficking jointly organised by the US Embassy and the government of The Gambia in their bid to sensitise the general public on this fast growing phenomenon within the sub-region.
Presenting a paper on the problem of trafficking in Children in The Gambia, Ms. Fanta Sisay, Director Department of State for Social Welfare said that her department is the government's agency responsible for the protection of the most vulnerable in The Gambia - women and children.
"However the Department of State for Justice is the responsible for the coordination of issues of human trafficking and the latter department has already set up a task force on human trafficking in which my department is a member", she added.
She also pointed out that a bilateral co-operation of agreement is being discussed with the Ghanaian government to combat child trafficking. Here follows the Director Department of State for Social Welfare's presentation: "The problem of trafficking in children in The Gambia is under reported and this can be attributed to lack of awareness of the general public of what trafficking is, how it is done, mode/type and who are involved.
The first case of child trafficking that was reported to the Department of Social Welfare was the Ghana Town case in 2004, in which twelve identified children were trafficked from Ghana to The Gambia.
Recently there are two study reports on child trafficking issues on The Gambia. These are: *The Trafficking in Persons Report 2004 by the U .S State Department *Situational Analysis of child trafficking in The Gambia by UNICEF 2004.
The reports revealed that there is both internal and external trafficking of children in The Gambia.
Internal Trafficking Children are internally trafficked from rural to urban areas and engaged in work, begging (Almudoes), street vending and domestic servant. There are also girls mostly from the sarahuleh tribe who sell tie and dye products at the markets. These girls are aged between 14 and 20 years and live with their parents learning the trade.
External Trafficking In Children
According, to the above-mentioned reports The Gambia is a source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and force domestic and commercial labour. According to the UNICEF Report on Situational Analysis of Child trafficking in The Gambia, sex tourists from some European countries (Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Belgium) exploit Gambian Children and in some cases traffic them to Europe for prostitution and pornography.
Main Roads Of Trafficking As Per The Reports 1. Gambian Children are trafficked to Senegal for Koranic Education 2. Senegalese Children are trafficked to The Gambia for Koranic Education 3. Guinean Children are trafficked to The Gambia through Casamance 4. Children from Guinea Bissau are trafficked through Casamance to The Gambia 5. Ghanaian Children from Guinea Bissau are trafficked to Ghana Town to work in fishing, fish preparation and petty trading 6. Senegalese girls from Casamance are trafficked to The Gambia for domestic work 7. Ghanaian children are trafficked to Guinea, especially in Conakry, after transiting through The Gambia.
8. Ghanaian children are trafficked to reach Dakar and Banjul after transiting through Bobo Diolasso, (Burkina Faso), Bamako and Kayes (Mali) to reach Dakar and Banjul.
Government Response Or Interventions The Department of Social Welfare through support from UNICEF conducted a nation wide study on street children in The Gambia in 1995 and a study on sexual abuse and exploitation of children in The Gambia in 2003. Findings from these study reports provide better understanding of the phenomenon in planning to combat child abuse and exploitation, which can lead to child trafficking.
The Department of Social Welfare has also got the co-operation of some European countries on "minors to travel abroad". Embassies refer visa applicants who are children to the Department of Social Welfare for certification before they issue them with visa.
The Department of Social Welfare and other partners like Child Protection Alliance (C.P.A) has conducted series of training workshops on Child Protection issues including Child trafficking with the police officers, Immigration officers, teachers, social worker, religious leaders etc.
The Department of Social Welfare is running a child centre sponsored by the Standard Chartered Bank. The centre provides drop in services for children in difficult circumstances, in psychosocial counselling, reproductive health education, computer and life skills training, feeding programme educational sponsorship, medical support and other child protection services.
The Department of Social Welfare with support from SOS International is currently constructing a shelter for children, which will provide an overnight stay and protection services to children in difficult circumstances. UNICEF through The Gambia Government Country Programme of Co-operation has also allocated some funds for the provision of services at the shelter. Hopefully before the end of October 2005 the Shelter will be operational.
Gamtel has approved the Installation of hotline toll fee and arrangements are at advance stage.
The National Assembly has passed the Children Bill. A draft multidisciplinary operational handbook in child protection for stakeholders is developed. A draft children's policy was developed and at cabinet level.
The government of The Gambia has agreed to sign a multilateral agreement to combat child trafficking in West Africa in July 2005 with the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d' Ivories, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Also a bilateral co- operation of agreement is being discussed, with the Ghanaian government to combat child trafficking.
Plans are also on the way for a programme for Almudoes, and working street children with a focus on skills training and apprenticeship from August to December 2005.
The government has a focal point for trafficking in persons, thus responsible for co-ordination. It set up a National Taskforce on Trafficking in Person since 2003 and a draft plan of action is also being discussed.
Short Coming 1.Co-ordination and implementation of programme 2. Inadequate human and financial resources
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