MINISTRY OF GENDER HOSTS REGIONAL DIALOGUE ON SHELTER OPERATIONALIZATION

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), through its Human Trafficking Secretariat, is hosting a four-day regional experience-sharing mission on trauma-informed care and shelter operationalization from Monday, June 9, to Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Accra.

Organized in collaboration with Expertise France under the MIGRET Project, the mission brings together stakeholders from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea to strengthen cross-border collaboration in tackling human trafficking. Their visit, facilitated by the MIGRET Project, aims to foster practical learning and experience sharing to improve anti-trafficking mechanisms and victim support services across the region.

As part of the mission’s goal, participating countries are exploring deeper cooperation in combating trafficking in persons (TIP) across the sub-region.

Delivering a statement, MIGRET Project Director Sweta Bonnet of Expertise France described the mission as a key step toward enhancing regional cooperation against human trafficking. She highlighted Côte d’Ivoire’s recent gains in prosecuting trafficking cases and announced the country’s plan to establish its first state-run shelter for adult victims, supported by the MIGRET Project. She commended Ghana’s structured shelter system—particularly the Aflao transit center—as a valuable model that could be adapted in other contexts. She further noted that the MIGRET Project builds on regional collaboration initiated under the EU-funded ALTP Project.

In her opening remarks, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey acknowledged the invaluable support of Expertise France, citing key achievements under the partnership: the construction of a transit shelter in Aflao; renovation of the Trauma-Informed Care Center and the Human Trafficking Secretariat; refurbishment of adult and children’s shelters; and capacity building for over 600 personnel across law enforcement and social services.

She described human trafficking as a grave violation of human rights that strips victims of freedom and dignity, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to protect vulnerable groups and ensure survivors receive comprehensive care.

Since 2018 and 2019, Ghana has operationalized two dedicated shelters for adults and children, which have supported the rehabilitation and reintegration of over 700 victims. The recently inaugurated transit shelter in Aflao, commissioned in 2024, now strengthens the national referral system by facilitating early identification and protection of trafficking victims.

The Minister emphasized the need for standardized SOPs to guide victim support and legal processes, stressing that such frameworks are vital for improving consistency, efficiency, and regional cooperation.

“This experience-sharing platform gives us the opportunity to deepen collaboration, harmonize our approaches, and share practical strategies to enhance victim care across our borders,” she stated.

The mission is expected to culminate in concrete recommendations and a more coordinated regional response to human trafficking.

Source: MoGCSP