Given Niger's socio-economic and political context along with its status as a gateway to Libya and the Mediterranean coast, the country has been identified as a country of origin, transit and destination for human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the framework of UNODC's Global Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) project.
From 25 to 27 October 2018, a training and awareness-raising workshop was organized on the national legislative framework relating to trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, aimed at judicial magistrates, specialized chambers in the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime, appeal courts and high courts of Agadez. The training brought together 21 participants.
During the official opening ceremony, Colonel Major Garba Maïkido, Governor of the Agadez region, emphasized the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach for detection, investigation and effective prosecution of migrants' smugglers and human traffickers. By carrying out a thorough analysis of the legal provisions relating to each of these offenses, the training workshop helped to clarify participant's understanding of legal texts, in particular regarding the jurisdiction of the courts in cases of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants. In addition, the meeting helped to build participants' capacity in the fight against human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants and to build on recommendations for a better implementation of these laws by magistrates.
The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.
For more information, please contact:
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/
Email: glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act