Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation
Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation is one of the most established anti-human trafficking organizations in Africa known to have carried out the most powerful advocacy campaign to strengthen the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Child Labour in Nigeria. The organisation single-handedly led the campaign that brought about the signing of a Private Bill into Law that created the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons and also mobilised organisations nationwide in Nigeria to establish Network of Civil Society organisation Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour. It was founded in 1999 by Chief Mrs. Amina Titi Atiku-Abubakar the wife of Atiku Abubakar, a Former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It has since remained at the forefront of the fight against Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria and inspiring change in other African countries.
History
In 1986, as an International Postgraduate student in Italy, Titi Atiku saw a lot of Nigerian and African girls on the streets of Italy. When she inquired she, was shocked to find out that they were into forced labour and had to use their bodies in exchange for money. She got into action immediately and started speaking against Trafficking in Persons by encouraging the people involved to come back home. Upon her return to Nigeria, she intensified her fight against Trafficking but she could only achieve a little as an individual though she knew that Trafficking In Persons was a growing menace that must be stopped. Angered by this reality, she nursed the dream and desire to establish an anti-human trafficking organisation. In 1999, her husband was sworn in as the Vice President of Nigeria and she saw the window of opportunity for the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons to begin! And she established Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation. At the time, HIV/AIDS was the major issue being tackled by development partners in Nigeria. So WOTCLEF embarked on massive awareness campaign against Trafficking and Child Labour, Advocacy to political office holders and massive mobilization of activists in Nigeria. Communities were informed, Nigerians became alert of trafficking and child labour, all hands were mobilized to be on the deck against the scourge. Every state in Nigeria had a WOTCLEF branch with people who served as the watchdogs against Trafficking and Child Labour. That was how the fight against Trafficking became a National and international issue that attracted government, NGO and Development partners.
The Legacy
WOTCLEF found out that to end trafficking in persons, government must be actively involved. The dream to establish a Law against Trafficking in Persons was conceived by the Founder. In 2001, after a rigorous work by legal and policy experts led by Justice Mary Odili the First Lady of Rivers State, WOTCLEF presented Private Bill to the National Assembly which was passed and signed into the Law by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The signing led to the establishment of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons. NAPTIP has since began operation since 2003 rescuing victims and punishing traffickers while providing rehabilitation and support for rescued trafficked persons. This is a major legacy of WOTCLEF.
International Activities
Apart from her national programmes, WOTCLEF has carried out campaign activities in different European countries and United States of America. The organization has collaborated with international organization to receive and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking
Partnership
Because of her deep experience and impact in combating human trafficking, WOTCLEF has partnered with the following national and international organizations:
The organization has treated over 500 cases of human trafficking and child labour. In 2015, WOTCLEF rehabilitated 20 trafficked victims within the age of 18 to 22. They were empowered and reintegrated into the society.
