Maputo - IOM’s “I Lend My Voice” campaign aims to raise awareness about human trafficking and raise funds for the Global Assistance Fund.  The campaign emphasizes that everyone can contribute to fighting human trafficking through education, advocacy, and supporting campaigns and organizations like IOM. The campaign kicked off on July 27th on social media to reach a wide audience and spread the message. On the ground, IOM Mozambique continues its efforts in educating, protecting, and assisting trafficking victims. 

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery, where victims are forced, coerced, tricked, or defrauded into selling sex or labour in illegal or unacceptable conditions. Currently, 50,000 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking.  

Those most vulnerable to trafficking include people living in poverty, individuals with a history of trauma or addiction, those without stable housing, and members of marginalized groups.   Detecting trafficking can be challenging, making awareness crucial in combating it. 

To prevent and respond to trafficking cases, IOM Mozambique operates at individual, community, and structural levels. On an individual level, victims receive protection and assistance through safe accommodation, medical and psychosocial support, and assisted voluntary return and reintegration to their place of origin. At the community level, IOM conducts information and outreach campaigns to raise awareness and knowledge about trafficking, helping vulnerable populations migrate safely and access assistance when needed. At the structural level, IOM Mozambique works in partnership with governments, the United Nations, international and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and development partners on all aspects of counter-trafficking responses – prevention, protection, and prosecution. This includes support to strengthen policies and procedures to facilitate the identification, referral, protection and assistance of trafficked persons, improvements to anti-trafficking legislation and regulations, and their implementation. 

On the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, IOM Mozambique, joined forces with the Attorney General, Save the Children International, and UNODC to support the Reference Group on child protection, counter trafficking and irregular migration.   Various activities were carried out, including a meeting of the National Reference Group to discuss case management improvements, capacity building for the Reference Group from Maxixe, awareness sessions in the community and schools of Maxixe district, and a campaign on the risks of irregular migration and counter trafficking. 

The worldwide campaign is gaining momentum with support from celebrities and increased visibility on social media. You can learn more about human trafficking, read survivor stories, and participate in the campaign on the website: I Lend My Voice | Campaigns (iom.int). 

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For more information please contact: 

Giulia Tshilumba, gtshilumba@iom.int

Amanda Martinez, anero@iom.int  

Abibo Ngandu, angandu@iom.int