Movies, tool to fight against human trafficking

Mr Rafael Rios, Team Leader, Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM) says it is easier to sensitise the younger generation through movies in the fight against human trafficking.

Rios said this on Thursday at a film exhibition organised as part of A-TIPSOM, a project funded by the European Union(EU) and executed by the International Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).

The exhibition was to sensitise the public ahead of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day which will hold on Oct. 18.

Supreme reports that the three short films shown at the exhibition were selected out of 461 others from 71 countries because they gave adequate insight into human trafficking.

They are: 'Debt of Death', 'After Thought' and 'The Bodies', produced by Nigerian film makers: Azubuike Erinugha, Ino Moses and Nelson Bright, respectively.

According to Rios, the goal of the exhibition is to encourage filmmakers, actors and skit-makers to be at the forefront of creating effective anti-human trafficking awareness through their various platforms.

He said that FIIAPP was working in strategic areas identified by the Nigerian Government to tackle trafficking in persons.

He listed the area as: policy, prevention, protection, partnership and prosecution.

"We continue to organise seminars and trainings to sensitise families both in rural and urban areas on the dangers of falling for traffickers.

"If you have any questions or get lured by traffickers with fake opportunities, call the relevant bodies for clarity.

"We believe that a global problem like this needs a global solution, so all hands must be on deck. We will continue working with Nigerian agencies to put an end to this," he said.

In his remarks, Mr Rasheed Olatunji, Head, Data and Statistics, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), said that the best means of preventing human trafficking was through awareness creation.

This, he said, was one of the key strategies being employed by NAPTIP.

According to him, youths will rather see movies than read documents and books on trafficking.

"Whatever they see and hear sticks in their minds better and faster.

"Films on human trafficking should be able to state the dangers and consequences of the menace to act as a deterrent to prospective victims," he said.

Similarly, Mr Daniel Millar, Spanish Consul General in Lagos, said that one of the main ways to fight and raise awareness on human trafficking was through collaborations with the film industry.

He appealed to youths to apply lessons learnt from trafficking-focused movies in their journeys through life.

"Human trafficking is 21st century slavery but can be mitigated with tight awareness and joint efforts.

" Everyone has an important role to play in this," he said.

Also, Ino Moses, filmmaker and the producer of 'After Thought' said that the movie industry had an important role to play in raising awareness on human trafficking through visuals.

According to him, the major challenges with producing movies about the menace are the cumbersome laws and ethics by film agencies.

He added that low levels of interest from agencies to screen films was another problem.

"If we are going to create perfect works to raise awareness, we need enabling environment," Moses said.