A-TIPSOM Project Commemorates the EU Anti-Human Trafficking Day 2021 with Film Exhibition

The need to continually raise awareness on the issues around the crime of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cannot be over emphasized. Cases of Human Trafficking occur every day among all groups of human beings and at all levels across the world. The EU Anti-Trafficking Day was established by the European Commission in 2007 and is celebrated on 18 October every year with the sole aim of raising awareness on trafficking in human beings and increase the exchange of information, knowledge and best practices among the different state and non-state actors working in this area.

To commemorate this year’s EU Anti-Trafficking Day, FIIAPP under the 11^th EDF project, the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants organized Film Exhibition in Lagos State and Federal Capital Territory-Abuja.

The general goal of the film exhibition was to encourage and engage film makers, actors, skit makers, film marketers and other relevant stakeholders to be at the forefront of creating effective anti-human trafficking awareness through short films and documentaries. This is because films have a huge impact on how people see human trafficking. What is shown on movies and reported on press goes some way in shaping people’s thought and mindset. 

During the film exhibitions which took place at Silverbird Cinema in Lagos on 7^th October 2021 and 16^th October 2021 in Abuja, a total of 270 participants were in attendance to watch the three short films and documentaries on human trafficking. These three films (Depth of Death by Azubuike Charles Erinugha, After Thought by Ino Moses Jonah, and The Bodies by Nelson Bright) were selected from 461 films submitted from 71 countries.

In their remark at the film exhibition in Lagos, the Consul General of Spanish Consular Lagos, Mr. Daniel Losada Millar and the Team Leader of A-TIPSOM Project, Mr. Rafael Rios Molina called on Nigerian film makers and actors to be part of the fight against human trafficking.

Speaking at the Film Exhibition in Abuja, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP) Director-General, Mr Fatima Waziri-Azi, stressed the need for  more efforts on the preventive measures in order to eliminate the scourge, adding that regular campaign would help prevent it.

Represented by Mr Olubiyi Olusayo, NAPTIP Director of Research and Development, she stated that trafficking issues must be eliminated from the grassroot through preventive campaign drive.

The director-general described as good; the three movies shown which all talked about how human trafficking started in the Nigeria

She advocated for awareness and advocacy in the remotes area, as well as schools to catch the youths when they are still young.

These events are organized under the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM), a project funded by European Union and Implemented by International Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).