The Center for media studies and Peace Building in collaboration with Internews Liberia has commenced three days of trafficking in person reporting training with over 22 Liberian Journalists in attendance.
The three days training will provide participants the tools to understand the issue of human trafficking, to enable them properly cover the issue.
Remarking at the opening session of the exercises, the executive director of CEMESP Mr.Malcom W.Joseph said, the three days similar will also provide participants the knowledge to identify human trafficking, investigate it, and provide coverage in ways that will be sensitive to the needs and welfare of the victims or survivors of trafficking.
According to him, trafficking remains a serious problem in Liberia, as such; authorities have over the years increasingly taken steps to combat the menace.
“There have been numerous arrests and the institution of prosecutions related to a range of Trafficking In Person. Rules for adopting children were modified since the migrations of children become a hot source of abuse in the early 2000s.
The government also introduced a stringent measure of taking children out of Liberia and even the acquisition of passports for children with parental consent being acquired”, Director Joseph narrated.
He used the opportunity to on behalf of CEMESP gratify the Government and the people of the United States of America through USAID for the funding provided to support the process.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Liberia’s Deputy Minister for Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Jarlawah A.Tonpo thanked CEMESP for the initiative and promised the Government of Liberia’s full commitment to always working with the institution.
He urged Journalists attending the workshop to properly utilize knowledge they stand to acquire while reporting on human trafficking cases.
The three days training is part of the USAID Liberia Media Activity project which is being implemented by Internews in partnership with the Center for media studies and peacebuilding and other national partners.
Participants of the training were drawn from four of Liberia’s fifteen counties to include Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado.
Phase one of the USAID, CEMESP’s training workshop was held about two months ago in Ganta City Nimba County where 22 Liberian Journalists from Grand Gedeh, Maryland,Lofa, Nimba and Bong counties assembled.
By: David Nuakolo Flomo, Jr.
davidflomojr17@david-nuakolo-flomo
