Chad - On every July30th, the world gathers to commemorate World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Established by the United Nations in 2013, this day is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness, particularly among decision makers, key actors and vulnerable people, about the reality of this scourge and need to join our efforts to combat it.

The theme for this year’s edition is “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind”. It highlights the need to make sure that no victim of this practice is left behind and ensure that everyone has access to the information they need to prevent and protect themselves.

Chad, a vast country in Central Africa, is a major country of origin, destination, and transit for victims of trafficking in persons. A number of factors drive many young people to risk their lives on irregular migration routes, exposing them to a variety of risks including trafficking and exploitation.

On August 3rd, a ceremony commemorating the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was organised in N’Djamena by the Multisectoral Technical Committee for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants in Chad, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Organization for Migration, and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a major violation of human rights”, said Mr Carlos Rotta, Chairman of the Multisectoral Technical Committee for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants. “Due to its geographical position, poverty and security challenges, Chad is unfortunately not sheltered from this phenomenon, and we must join our efforts to remedy it”, he added.

Access to data on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Chad is difficult. However, between January and July 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) assisted 156 victims of exploitation and trafficking throughout the country.

Since 2018, the Chadian Government has taken a number of steps to strengthen its legal instruments to provide a comprehensive response to trafficking in persons. In addition to the adoption of Ordinance No. 006/PR/2018 of 30 March 2018 on combating trafficking in persons in the Republic of Chad, the country has set up the very first National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons in the Republic of Chad in 2021.

“Significant progress has been made, but more needs to be done to eradicate trafficking in persons in Chad,” said Jean-Claude Bashirahishize, IOM Chief of Mission a.i. in Chad. “IOM is proud to support the Chadian Government in its efforts, and renews its commitment to building national capacity to combat this scourge,” he added.

“In recent years, trafficking in persons has become a growing concern for West and Central African countries, and especially those in the Sahelian belt, including Chad,” said the Deputy Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Chad, Delly Mawazo.

To put an end to this, joint efforts are needed, as Brice Kader Tago, Country Coordinator of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, pointed out. “We cannot tolerate increasing indifference and impunity for this crime. We need to build resilience against exploitation and the underlying socio-economic and cultural issues that drive this trafficking,” he said.

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For more information, please contact

- the Ministry of Justice: Mr Dingamadji Carlos Rotta, Director of Legislation and International Cooperation. Email: rotta.carlos@gmail.com

- the International Organization for Migration (IOM): François-Xavier Ada-Affana. Email: fadaaffana@iom.int.

- the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Brice Kader Tago, Country Coordinator. Email: brice.tago@un.org.

- the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: Mr Delly Mawazo, Deputy Representative in Chad. Email: mawazo2@un.org.