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US to combat modern-day slavery in Nigeria with $2.3m

THE United States government is spending $2.3 million to end modern slavery in Nigeria.

The money is to be given to a non-profit organisation, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).

A statement by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) in Washington, yesterday, said IPA would use the money to develop an evidence laboratory rooted in high-quality data collection in Nigeria.

“This program will support the Nigerian government, and specifically the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), to increase efficacy in anti-trafficking programming within the country.”

The statement added that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) received $2 million to develop operational definitions, methodologies, and uniform guidance for the measurement of trafficking in persons.

This guidance, it said, will help facilitate prevalence estimation and allow both researchers and practitioners to better understand the nature of human trafficking.

Also, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) received $2.3 million to address human trafficking in Kenya linked to vulnerabilities and displacement as a result of climate change.

“IOM will employ a variety of livelihood support models in order to build economic resilience in communities facing economic insecurity due to climate change. Additionally, IOM will work to create awareness of human trafficking among specified populations. The program will pilot a range of interventions through a phased approach and refine program activities based on the outcomes of randomized interventions,” the office said.

The sum of $5.5 million is to go to the five-year intervention implemented by New York University (NYU) Marron Institute in India to identify trafficking victims among members of the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) and assist them in accessing support.

According to the statement, the University of Georgia Research Foundation received a $2.2 million award to address financial inclusion of labor trafficking survivors and those at risk of labor trafficking in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi.

“Through a phased approach, the program will create and strengthen financial savings groups for survivors returning from South Africa and vulnerable youth considering moving to South Africa by first focusing on a robust research framework.”

The Washington University received $1.5 million to address trafficking through the lens of public health in South Africa. The fund will be used to develop locally adapted core standards of care as well as a toolkit for service providers.

“Washington University will use heatmaps to better understand risk vulnerabilities and resource allocation in Johannesburg and Cape Town,” the statement said.

It added that “Winrock International was awarded $7.9 million to study how climate change in Bangladesh has heightened vulnerability to human trafficking, particularly within the farming and fishing industries”.

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