The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reaffirmed its commitment to intensify efforts against human trafficking and gender inequality following a high-level meeting with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Accra.
The engagement saw the Chief of Mission for IOM Ghana, Madam Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, lead a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the newly appointed Minister, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.
The meeting served as a formal congratulatory visit to the Minister while also marking a renewed commitment to strengthening cooperation in the protection of vulnerable populations, especially women and children. Both parties used the opportunity to revisit ongoing areas of collaboration and explore expanded strategies for action.
At the centre of discussions was a shared resolve to fight human trafficking, with particular attention to child protection, gender equality, and the emerging trend of trafficking in sports.
The parties acknowledged the growing complexities in addressing these issues and agreed that deeper collaboration with other state and non-state actors was essential for lasting impact.
“We commend the Ministry for its relentless efforts in preventing human trafficking and protecting vulnerable populations”
Madam Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, Chief of Mission for IOM
She emphasized IOM’s readiness to sustain its technical and financial assistance to boost the Ministry’s capacity in critical areas, including reintegration programmes for survivors of trafficking and initiatives to address stigmatized spaces like the alleged witches camps.
Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey expressed gratitude for IOM’s long standing support and outlined the government’s intentions to expand shelter services for victims across the country’s 16 regions. This, she said, was to ensure immediate and structured support to persons in distress.
“The Ministry is like the moral fiber of society, and our actions or inactions can have far-reaching consequences. Let’s do our best to rewrite history and leave a mark”
Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Gender Minister
The Minister further highlighted the need for stronger synergies across ministries and departments to create a coordinated safety net for migrants and vulnerable groups.
She indicated that efforts were underway to deepen collaboration with key institutions, including the Ministries of Labour, Jobs & Employment, Youth and Recreation, and the Interior, to bolster migrant protection systems.
With illegal migration and trafficking often deeply rooted in local contexts, the Minister also revealed that a new “capacity-building programme” would soon be rolled out, in partnership with IOM, to equip Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively manage migration challenges in their jurisdictions.
The two parties discussed the critical need to ensure grassroots-level engagement in the fight against child trafficking and streetism. They expressed mutual concern over the “growing exploitation of children and youth,” particularly in sports, and committed to working closely with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to develop early detection and prevention frameworks.
In a show of continuity and institutional support, the meeting was also attended by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah, the Head of the Human Trafficking Secretariat, Madam Abena Annobea Asare, and the Head of the Social Protection Directorate. Their presence underscored the Ministry’s broader structural readiness to pursue a robust agenda of reform and protection.
The government has positioned gender equity and child protection as core tenets of its social development policy. This latest engagement between the Gender Ministry and IOM comes at a time when the state is expected to lead with both compassion and competence.
The meeting ended with both Madam Ndiaye and Dr. Lartey expressing firm commitments to deepen cooperation and advance a human-centred agenda that safeguards the dignity of all.
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