Sierra Leone Launches Four-Year Regional Project to Combat Human Trafficking
Sierra Leone has launched a four-year regional project aimed at strengthening the fight against human trafficking through improved law enforcement, victim protection, training and cross-border cooperation.
The Preventing Human Trafficking through Enforcement, Cooperation and Training (PROTECT) Project was launched by Social Welfare Minister Melrose Karminty at an event in Freetown, held alongside the validation of a diagnostic assessment on human trafficking in Sierra Leone.
Funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France, the €8 million initiative runs from November 2025 to October 2029 and covers five countries: Sierra Leone, Guinea, Benin, Nigeria and Togo.
The project aims to strengthen the capacity, coordination and gender sensitivity of institutions and other stakeholders working to prevent human trafficking, protect victims and support the prosecution of perpetrators.
Speaking at the launch, Karminty stressed the need for coordinated action among government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and development partners to address trafficking and protect vulnerable people.
Planned interventions include strengthening the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force at national and district levels, as well as training police officers, investigators, prosecutors, judges, lawyers and social workers.
The initiative will also support efforts to improve the identification and protection of trafficking victims, assist survivors with socioeconomic reintegration and strengthen the Anti-Trafficking in Persons green line.
Other activities will focus on public awareness, journalist training, improved judicial data collection and stronger bilateral, cross-border and regional cooperation among participating countries.
The project also seeks to improve the availability of reliable gender-disaggregated data to help institutions better understand trafficking patterns and develop more effective responses.
The launch and diagnostic assessment activities were organised by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force Secretariat in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Expertise France.
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