The second cohort of the International Justice Mission (IJM-Ghana) Young Journalists Fellowship Programme (YJFP) have been advised to be very professional when engaging survivors of human trafficking.
The Senior Lead of the Global Survivor Network (GSN), IJM, Josephine Aparo, said recognising that every individual was unique, reacted differently to trauma, and had different needs, there was the need to handle them with care.
She said this in a virtual meeting for IJM-Ghana’s YJFP Cohort two themed ‘The Story of GSN’ last Thursday.
Ms Aparo said it was also imperative for the journalists to seek the consent of survivors before engaging them.
She urged them to recognise their personal biases and cultural competencies in such engagements and refrain from sharing confidential information with others, except with the consent of the other party.
Ms Aparo explained that the GSN was an international group of survivors leading a movement to protect communities from violence.
“IJM’s vision is to protect 500 million people living in poverty from violence by 2030; the vision is grand, and seismic shifts will be required to scale protection for the most vulnerable,” she added.
She emphasised that survivors were best positioned to shape the movement that would lead to long-term change and freedom for the most vulnerable.
Ms Aparo said it was for which reason the GSN would equip survivors as powerful advocates and movement-makers, providing an effective, scalable method for leadership development and activation partnership.
She underscored that the network had thousands of members in many chapters across 10 countries including Bolivia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Myanmar and the Philippines.
“The GSN officially launched in 2019, and already we have many chapters in 10 countries. Each survivor leader, is connected to a chapter in their home country. This chapter is a group of local survivors who are advocating protection, whether that is from slavery in India or the Philippines; human trafficking in Ghana – three chapters; violence against women and children in Guatemalaor police abuse of power in Kenya,” she added.
Regarding the GSN’s achievements, the senior lead of the IJM GSN indicated that the survivor leaders had written articles and had been interviewed by local and international media; trained journalists, police and government officials; rescued victims, led covid relief work, and participated in various campaigns.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
