Over 1,000 victims of human trafficking across West Africa have received direct support through a joint initiative between the ECOWAS Commission and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, 2025, ECOWAS emphasized its commitment to fighting trafficking with the theme: “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation.”
Between August 2024 and February 2025, ECOWAS disbursed $516,000 through IOM to fund urgent assistance for survivors. Support included shelter, food, clothing, emergency healthcare, psychosocial services, legal aid, and educational support for children. Adults received vocational training and reintegration kits to help restart their lives.
Of the 1,100+ victims assisted, 47% were minors, and 68.8% were women. The initiative was delivered through a field partnership between IOM country offices, ECOWAS Resident Representatives, and national anti-trafficking institutions.
The support aligns with ECOWAS’s victim-centered, rights-based approach that prioritizes prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.
In its ongoing fight against trafficking, ECOWAS also hosted key regional meetings. The 15th Annual RNNI-TIP+ Meeting held in Accra in July 2023 reinforced Member States’ commitment to collaboration and extended the ECOWAS Plan of Action to 2028. The 16th Annual Review Meeting, co-hosted with ICMPD in Monrovia in October 2024, adopted new Model Guidelines and validated the Regional Referral Mechanism.
These meetings resulted in stronger partnerships, shared best practices, and the adoption of the TIP+ Strategy, which integrates anti-trafficking efforts with prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children.
ECOWAS urges Member States to intensify the domestic application of regional and global anti-trafficking frameworks and calls on civil society to remain strong advocates for survivors.
With growing regional cooperation and direct interventions, ECOWAS aims to leave no one behind in the fight against human trafficking.
