Four NGOs granted licences to be sheltering Trafficking in Persons survivors

The four NGOs that have been accredited 

* This in line with government’s commitment towards preventing and eliminating human trafficking

* The NGOs are expected to be providing shelter to TIP victims at Bingu International Convention Centre

By Fostina Mkandawire & Tione Andsen, MANA

In its concerted efforts addressing the wicked acts of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), government is engaging all key stakeholders and has granted licences to four designated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be providing shelter to TIP victims.

The process has been initiated by the Ministry of Homeland Security in conjunction with the Ministry of Gender and the licences were presented on Wednesday in Lilongwe.

The NGOs — Love Justice Malawi; Gateway of Hope; Salvation Army and Youth Network and Counselling (YONECO) — are expected to be providing shelter to TIP victims at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Minister of Homeland Security, Richard Chimwendo Banda said licensing NGOs was in line with government’s commitment towards preventing and eliminating human trafficking.

He said government was compelled by TIP Act of 2015 to grant licences to organisations that have met the minimum standards to operate TIP victims’ shelters before being repatriated to their respective homes.

“This day is historic because for the first time in the history of fighting human trafficking in the country, we are officially designating premises of the first four pioneer organizations to operate shelters for survivors of TIP,” Chimwendo Banda said.

He took cognizance that after survivors were rescued, the country never had shelters whereby they could receive counselling and psychosocial support from the trauma they had gone through.

The Minister urged the four organizations to ensure that the shelters should be up to the standards as stipulated in the TIP Act 2015.

“We do not want to compromise on standard and quality,” he said. “We want the shelters to be providing a place of solace and security whereby the victims can be provided with care and reassurance of safety.”

He commended the four organizations for designating their premises to sheltering the TIP survivors.

In her remarks, Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati said they would make sure that designated protection officers are deployed along all borders in the country.

She said with increased number of trafficking cases among women and children, the protection officer should make sure such acts are contained along the borders.

Kaliati said trafficking survivors need to be provided with care, support and protection saying this was only way to help them being integrated into their communities.

“As a Ministry, we are keen to working with the four NGOs providing shelters services to the TIP survivors.

“We will be monitoring to make sure that the set standards of the safe homes are being maintained to the expectations. We will always be there to provide technical support,” the Minister said.

Gateway of Hope chairperson, Christina Kachimanga said they were happy that they were given the go ahead to be running the shelter homes, saying her organisation would be providing daily needs and support to the surviving victims.

“We will ensure that the shelter is managed by the set standards and not to compromise on quality,” she said, adding that they shall ensure  that counseling and psychosocial therapy services are provided.