On 27th and 28th June, I presented the report on my country visit to Nigeria. I have commended Nigeria’s comprehensive anti-trafficking legal framework and specialised NAPTIP agency, which is however underfunded and should me made more effective. I’m extremely concerned that governmental shelters are “closed”, infringing on the freedom of movement of survivors of trafficking, and called for immediate change of this policy. On the contrary, NGOs shelters are open, and the same NAPTIP refer victims to them after a six week period of their stay in government shelters. However, NGOs do not receive any funding. Reintegration of trafficked persons has proven to be particularly challenging, especially following massive returns from Libya. I highlighted some promising experiences implemented by civil society organizations with the support of international partners, consisting of community-based interventions producing employment for returnees. I wish to pay tribute to the resilience of the survivors I met, and I advocate for increased funding for local civil society organisations who carry out long-term activities aimed at social inclusion of victims.
