CADECOM Blantyre, in partnership with Plan Malawi and with funding from the United States Department of State, conducted a five-day training for 24 protection officers from Mwanza and Mulanje districts on how they can rehabilitate trafficking victims.
The training comprised of members from the Ministry of Health, the Education Department, Social Welfare, National Registration Bureau and the law enforcement officers (police, labour and judiciary).
Notably, CADECOM, together with other stakeholders; Plan Malawi, Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Homeland Security, Ministry of Labour, UNODC, MHRC and Love Justice has developed a manual to help guide protection officers in offering care to trafficking victims.
Deputy Director of Social Welfare, Enock Bonongwe, attended the training and lamented that the country has only five safe places, with the Northern Region having none.
Mulanje District Social Protection Officer, Noel Chambo, said that lack of resources such as shelter is a major challenge they are facing in helping trafficking victims. As one way of dealing with trafficking, they are geared to lobby for more funding, and there is also a greater need for intensifying awareness messages about trafficking in communities.
