Information Campaign Kicks Off in Mozambique for Football World Cup
IOM is lending its support to a nationwide information campaign to
combat child trafficking and unsafe migration from Mozambique to
neighbouring South Africa, where tens of thousands of football fans
have converged for the opening of the month-long football World
Cup.
The campaign, "Open Your Eyes" is coordinated by the NGO Save
the Children and carried out in cooperation with several child
rights groups and government partners. It features a hard-hitting,
action-packed IOM radio drama produced by the Johannesburg-based
Community for Media Development (CFMD) productions.
It aims to remind Mozambican families and children that
travelling without proper documentation and a safe, genuine
guardian could lead to trafficking for various forms of abuse,
including sexual exploitation and forced labour.
Through drama and engaging storylines, the 13-episode "Troco"
(Dealers) series gives practical knowledge, skills and tips on how
to avoid falling prey to traffickers, such as how to recognise
suspicious job offers abroad and where to turn to for advice and
help.
The campaign has also enlisted the support of Manuel Tico-Tico
Bucuane, one of Mozambique's most famous strikers who will
broadcast messages on local TV and radio stations, warning families
of the dangers of unsafe migration and how best to protect
children.
"Getting the full support of Tico-Tico is crucial to ensure our
awareness message comes across loud and clear," says Nelly Simbine
Chimedza, who coordinates IOM's counter trafficking programme in
Mozambique.
Mozambique is a source and to a lesser extent, a destination
country for men, women and children trafficked for the purpose of
forced labour, domestic servitude and/or sexual exploitation.
Children are regularly trafficked from rural to urban areas with
promises of employment or education, as well as to South Africa for
domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation. Young men
and boys are also trafficked to South Africa for farm work and
mining.
"Although we have no hard evidence, we believe the perception of
increased employment opportunities in South Africa's informal
sector during the World Cup might result in more irregular
migration and human trafficking," says Nelly Simbine Chimedza.
"Troco", which was aired last year on national Rádio
Moçambique and on two local radio stations, Transmundial and
Radio Limpopo, will be broadcast until the end of the year on six
community radios in the provinces of Mapito, Gaza, Inhambane and
Manica.
To listen to the radio drama, please go to:
For more information, please contact:
Nelly Simbine Chimedza
IOM Maputo
Tel: +258 21 310 779
E-mail:
"mailto:nchimedzy@iom.int">nchimedzy@iom.int