Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The ineffectiveness of the state-centric legal/institutional approach has marked a paradigm shift in the practice and literature on the global anti-human trafficking efforts to embrace community-based strategies. An understanding of the local contexts of human trafficking is critical to developing a meaningful response to its scourge. Thus, this paper aims to assess community participation in anti-human trafficking efforts in Nigeria. The study adopted the qualitative research design and drew its data from semi-structured interviews with purposively selected 25 stakeholders in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The findings indicated that legal/institutional response has not been effective against human trafficking in Edo State as well as Nigeria due largely to corruption and other vices. Furthermore, while engagement in anti-human trafficking was very high among FBOs, CBOs and NGOs, it was low among ordinary members of the communities. To address the challenges hindering community participation in anti-human trafficking the study recommends the empowerment of local communities and FBOs, CSOs, NGOs, survivors of human trafficking, and other non-state actors. The study concludes that improved community participation will bridge the gaps in the legal/institutional approach, which will result in the effectiveness of the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.
Source: African Identities
Authors: Femi Omotoso, Babatunde Alokan
Institution: Ekiti State University
Language: English
Topic: Sex work and related issues
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4404544467