Pathfinders Conducts Successful 2-Day Workshop for Service Providers of Rehabilitation for Survivors and Returnees

BENIN CITY, EDO STATE. On January 14-15, 2021, building on the learnings from Nigeria’s first ever Gap Analysis on human trafficking which identified gaps in Nigeria’s rehabilitation, law enforcement and research responses to human trafficking (conducted by Pathfinders in June 2019), Pathfinders trained 50 service providers who support survivors of trafficking and sexual trauma on rehabilitation and best practices. Stakeholders and representatives included NAPTIP Nigeria, Ministry of Justice, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking, COSUDOW, Caritas Nigeria, Idia Renaissance, NACTAL Nigeria, Nigerian Red Cross, International Organization for Migration, The Salvation Army, members of the media and many others.

Leading with a survivor panel, stakeholders heard directly from three Pathfinders’ sex trafficking survivors who identified gaps within Nigeria’s rehabilitation response and proffered their recommendations on how same could be addressed and overcome to better serve survivors. Thereafter, training sessions covered survivor centered and trauma informed care, overcoming survivor setbacks and mental health, effective communication, reintegration and sheltering for returnees, vicarious trauma and self care. Ultimately, the goal was to create a uniform standard for service providers providing rehabilitation for survivors in Nigeria so that survivors and returnees are timely and appropriately identified and treated with respect and dignity.

We are grateful to have had the support of the European Union, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and our INSigHT-Building Capacity to Deal with Human Trafficking and Transit Routes in Italy, Nigeria and Sweden- partners (University of Venice (Italy), Equality Cooperativa Sociale, Nigeria Women’s Association and Assoc. 5050) to bring this training to life.⁣ Good things are happening in Nigeria. We are one of them!

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