Douala Int’l Airport: Social Affairs Minister launches campaign to combat human trafficking, migrants smuggling.

The Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, and other top administrative authorities witnessed the launching. 

The campaign involves the display of anti-trafficking posters and visuals at strategic locations at the Douala airport. 

The messages aim to educate the public on dangers of these illicit activities and channels through which those fronting them can be reported to competent state authorities. 

The striking mesaages cover topics such as methods used by traffickers, rights of victims, and available support services for those affected.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Pauline Irene Nguene said human trafficking and migrants smuggling remain preoccupying in the country.

She said the phenomenon affects millions of people, especially women and children in West and Central Africa. 

She said the poster campaign was launched at the Douala airport because Cameroon is a country of origin, transit and destination for migrant smuggling. 

The sensitisation campaign, the member of government explained, is to ensure that targets are better informed about channels for reporting cases of human trafficking and migrants smuggling. 

She added that Cameroon is committed to combatting human trafficking and migrant smuggling through a series of measures. 

Minister Irene Nguene cited the ratification in 2006, of the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish tracking in persons and supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes.

The minister added that legal and institutional measures have also been put in place by the government to fight the phenomenon. 

The poster exhibition is part of a broader nationwide campaign, spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Affairs, with aim to combat transnational crimes and protect the vulnerable as well as safeguard the rights and wellbeing of all citizens.

The sensitisation campaign is expected to continue in schools during the resumption of the 2024/2025 academic year. 

The launching of the campaign in Douala comes after a similar campaign was flagged off in the nation’s capital city, Yaounde, on March 18, 2024.

 By Hure Hamidou Abdu (Journalism Student on internship)

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3171 of Wednesday July 17, 2024