Limited information is hampering human trafficking coverage - Byanyima
May 16, 2018
According to a 2017 police report, over 58 criminal case files have been registered. These include over 121 victims of trafficking for the past six months of the year.
PIC: Over 58 criminal case files have been registered for the past six months. (Credit:Medium)
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
KAMPALA - Limited data on Trafficking In Persons (TIP) is hampering journalists' wide coverage of trafficking and Government intervention, the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA) says.
This, according to FIDA, has led to low public awareness about the vice which calls for added effort from key stakeholders to document such cases so that trafficking can be combated woith ease.
The Global Leadership Summit Uganda (GLSU) team leader, Betty Rutare Byanyima, noted that the challenge faced when addressing the TIP is lack of institutional training of law enforcement officers by Government impacting on investment.
"The officers do not know how to handle victims such as revealing their faces to the public," said Byanyima during a media training on human rights at Hotel Africana,Kampala.
Byanyima cited other loopholes which include failure to protect whistle blowers, low budget allocation, lack of regulation among others.
"Let us embrace these victims and see how best to help them.
"Just imagine this was your brother or sister. We know how we feel when it is our own," she said.
Byanyima also warned journalists against violating the vistim's dignity and privacy when covering stories on human trafficking.
In 2017, the Executive Secretary of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), expressed the willingness to work and partner with FIDA in combating the scourge of human Trafficking.
This followed the high cases of trafficking in persons, both locally and the transnational level.
According to a 2017 police report, over 58 criminal case files have been registered. These include over 121 victims of trafficking for the past six months of the year.
In addition, over 140 potential were intercepted at the exit points of Busia, Malaba, Entebbe Airport and Rwakaka.
All those intercepted at Uganda Exit points were stopped from proceeding with their travels and investigations were opened were the victims provided sufficient information.
Beatrice Ozuma, a journalist said covering stories without infringing on somebody's privacy is very vital.
"As a journalist, respecting a source's privacy is very vital," Ozuma said.
She added that a journalist must remember to balance the story, be well informed about the story.
"Whenever we publish those stories, perpetuators realise that we know the tricks then they will come down," Ozuma added.