Ethiopia - "Mutach" meaning "the last one", a forum theatre production produced by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was launched in the East Hararghe zone of Oromiyaa region.

Reaching out to thousands of people, the play tells the story of a father's predicament as he considers sending his 16-year-old daughter to work in the Middle East in an irregular way. His dilemma is based on the fact that he has been without any news from one of his daughters who was smuggled out of the country a year earlier. The touching play shows, despite receiving no news on the whereabouts of his daughter, the father is still intending to send "the last one".

The forum theatre is implemented as part of a child protection project: Strengthening regional multi- national coordination for increased protection of vulnerable and trafficked migrant children travelling through the Gulf of Aden migration route funded by the European Union.

Including the latest staging last week, the play  has been staged in seven locations in Ethiopia which are known as major migrant senders. An estimated 28,000 people attended the event. Officials from the region, zone and woreda have attended and forwarded a sensitization message at the end of each staging.

IOM has assigned professional writers to develop its message into a theatre script in the capital Addis Ababa and revised it to focus on and incorporate migrant children as the number of migrant children has gradually increased over the years. To engage the audience even better, the organization has selected a production crew from the local music and drama clubs with the technical support provided by zonal Culture and Tourism experts.

“Mutach” intends to sensitize the public and create awareness on the risks and consequences of irregular migration and human trafficking among rural community in the target locations.

The show has also been staged in N/Wollo zone of Amhara region, Jimma zone of Oromiya region, and Southern and Eastern zone of Tigray region in July and August 2015. An estimated 75,000 people in 31 locations especially in market places, schools and towns have attended the event.

For further information, please contact Alemayehu Seifeselassie at IOM Ethiopia, Tel: +251.11. 6611117 (Ext. 455), Mobile: +251.91.163-9082 Email: salemayehu@iom.int