By Anayo Akwitti
The ECOWAS Parliament has launched a week-long public awareness campaign in The Gambia and Senegal to combat irregular migration, human trafficking and modern slavery across West Africa.
The initiative, organised under the Sixth Legislature, began in Banjul, The Gambia, on July 6 and will run until July 10 before moving to Dakar, Senegal, from July 13 to 17.
According to a statement by the Parliament’s Chief Communication Officer, Uchenna Duru-Nwaotule, the campaign is designed to strengthen engagement between ECOWAS lawmakers and citizens, particularly young people, returnees, community leaders and civil society organisations.
The outreach aims to encourage informed migration decisions, promote dialogue on the risks associated with irregular migration and generate practical recommendations to reinforce national and regional efforts to tackle human trafficking, protect vulnerable persons and support the reintegration of returnees.
Describing irregular migration as one of West Africa’s most pressing socio-economic and human security challenges, the Parliament said unemployment, poverty, insecurity and the search for better opportunities continue to drive many young people into dangerous migration routes.
It warns that such journeys often expose migrants to human trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation, debt bondage and other forms of modern slavery.
The campaign is being held under the theme, “One Journey, Many Risks. Ask First, Move Safely.”
Activities in The Gambia opened with a courtesy visit to the country’s Minister of Interior, followed by a stakeholders’ briefing involving the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), the ECOWAS Resident Representative, members of The Gambia’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), lawmakers and other key partners.
The programme also features town hall meetings in Bakau, Brikama and Barra, where residents will participate in local-language awareness sessions, hear testimonies from returnees and survivors, and engage directly with lawmakers.
To deepen youth participation, the Parliament will host a community football event, “Football for Awareness,” in Bakau on July 9, while the Gambian leg of the campaign will conclude on July 10 with a debriefing session to review outcomes and recommendations.
In Senegal, the campaign will focus on public sensitisation and stakeholder engagement involving youth groups, students, community organisations, returnees and public institutions across Dakar. Details of activities in Senegal are expected to be announced separately.
The ECOWAS Parliament said both phases of the campaign will include open-air town hall meetings, interactive discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and extensive radio, television and community media outreach to maximise public participation.
As the parliamentary arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional legislature serves as a platform for dialogue, consultation and consensus-building among elected representatives of member states.
The Parliament comprises 97 seats allocated according to population, with Nigeria holding 35 seats, Ghana eight, Côte d’Ivoire seven, Guinea and Senegal six each, while Benin, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo each have five representatives.
