Toyyibat Qasim
The Gender Development Initiative (GenDi) has called for a review and strengthening of relevant laws in Ogun State to tackle human trafficking, child abuse, violence, exploitation and other forms of abuse against vulnerable persons.
The call was made during a legislative advocacy engagement led by GenDi with the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, at the Assembly Complex on September 1, 2026.
The engagement was organised within the framework of the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), being implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), with GenDi serving as its civil society organisation partner in Ogun State.
The advocacy meeting brought together representatives of ICMPD, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ogun State Command, the Ogun State Task Force on Human Trafficking and GenDi.
The stakeholders urged the legislature to strengthen the legal and policy framework governing the prevention of human trafficking, child protection and response to violence and exploitation across the state.
Particular attention was drawn to the need to review and strengthen the Ogun State Child Rights Law and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, with stakeholders identifying gaps that could undermine responses to emerging forms of trafficking, violence, exploitation and abuse.
The team also called for stronger enforcement mechanisms, improved survivor protection and more effective referral pathways for victims and survivors.
It stressed the need for closer coordination among government institutions, security and law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders involved in safeguarding vulnerable people.
According to the stakeholders, experiences and emerging concerns identified through community-level interventions should inform legislative and policy reforms to ensure that laws remain responsive to realities confronting children and other vulnerable groups.
The engagement also underscored the role of the State House of Assembly in creating an enabling legal environment for sustained anti-trafficking and child-protection interventions, particularly at the grassroots.
The advocacy team maintained that connecting community experiences with legislative action was critical to addressing gaps in the protection of vulnerable populations and ensuring that interventions were backed by effective laws and enforcement mechanisms.
Responding, the Speaker, Elemide, expressed his commitment to supporting the advocacy process and requested the formal submission of the group’s policy and legislative recommendations.
Elemide assured the delegation that the recommendations would be forwarded to the appropriate committee of the Assembly for review and further legislative consideration.
The development is expected to provide a formal pathway for stakeholders to place identified legislative gaps and proposed reforms before the state legislature.
The engagement also strengthened collaboration among the Ogun State Legislature, anti-trafficking agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders working to prevent human trafficking, protect children and address violence and exploitation in the state.
The meeting formed part of broader efforts under STEAP to strengthen anti-trafficking education, advocacy and safeguarding interventions, while ensuring that community-level concerns feed into policy and legislative processes.
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