In an advocacy visit and effort to end trafficking in persons, Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI), an organisation that champions the cause of persons with disabilities especially women & girls and promotes Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) signed a MOU with NAPTIP on 1st December 2021 with team at Lafia, Nassarawa State.
In the Memorandum of Understanding, VDI sought practical collaboration with NAPTIP to put an end to all forms of trafficking in women and girls with disabilities and the minority groups that are said to be “at the receiving end”.
According to Barr. Catherine Edeh, Executive Director of VDI “our women and girls are being used as money-generating tools by unidentified individuals who are trafficking them from one place to another and engaging them in prostitution, begging and other harmful businesses. We need your partnership to bring the perpetrators to book as we can not do it all alone.”
Catherine, in her discussion with NAPTIP, emphasised 5% employment opportunities for persons with disabilities as enshrined in the Disability Act. She proposed that all buildings be revamped in line with Disability Act to facilitate accessibility and ease of movement of persons on wheelchairs.
As responsibilities of VDI in a paper tabled by the Executive Director, part of the MOU read: “to collaborate with NAPTIP to end trafficking in persons with disabilities through practical advocacy and disability-related consultancy on issues surrounding trafficking of persons with disabilities.
“Enhance the effectiveness of the disability inclusion in NAPTIP activities and projects, create awareness through workshops, press conferences, publications, aimed at educating the public on the dangers of trafficking in persons.”
VDI also paid an advocacy visit to the Permanent Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government, Ministry of Women Affairs, all in Lafia, Nassarawa State advocating for a world where no one is left behind.
