Effectiveness of Mass Media in Sensitizing Against Human Trafficking in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
- To find out the nature of the story used to implement appropriate strategies to combat human trafficking.
- To find out if Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers carry reports on human trafficking in Nigeria.
- To find out how far the media have sensitize the society about the ills of human trafficking in Nigeria.
- To know whether the newspapers under study promotes and enforce the rights of the child for survival, development and protection.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
History of human trafficking
human trafficking which is a modern method of slavery has been with us from time immemorial. Thus from Roman times, children were sold, battered, mutilated, abandoned and maltreated at the pleasure of the father. Children were used as tools when necessary and at the pleasure of their parents and care takers.
Nigeria has a similar history. Children were sold depending on what society or the parents felt about them. Ojomo (2000:18) explains further that Nigerians, traditionally, farmers are known for their trade and travel in west and Central Africa. This propensity for travel encouraged easy migration across the borders. For many Nigerians, especially those from the Southeast, the civil war (Nigeria – Biafra) of 1966 – 70, created conditions that made migration to neighbouring countries very attractive. In addition, the oil boom of the 1970s saw many other West African nationalities migrating into Nigeria. In northern Nigeria, close ties with the Arab world have seen people move freely to and from the Middle East for trade and religious pilgrimages. This has created avenues for migration that have begun to be exploited for International trafficking in children for labour and prostitution.
However, it was the lack of appropriate legislation to punish offenders that constituted a major challenge in the fight against traffickers in the interim, the police and the court resorted to using portions of the country’s penal code. This was the situation until the anti – human trafficking law was enacted in 2003. The law is known as the trafficking in persons (prohibition) law enforcement and Administration Act. The Trafficking in persons (prohibition) law enforcement and administration Act created the National Agency for the prohibition of Trafficking in persons and other related matters (NAPTIP). This government agency has been in the forefront of the fight against human trafficking. In fact, Nigeria became the first country in Africa to enact such law and establish a special agency to complement it. By November 2005, the High Court in Benin in the south of the country, handed down the first conviction under this law. NAPTIP also investigated a number of law enforcement officials suspected of complicity in trafficking. In 2006, NAPTIP, Nigeria police and the Immigration service formed a compact coalition pact’ to fight human trafficking in addition to involving other Non-governmental organizations like the India renaissance and WOTCLEF. Memorandum, of Understanding (MOUs), according to Idowu (2003:119) was also signed with destination and transit countries like Britain, Italy, Republic of Benin and Spain.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study was conducted using the content analytical method. The nature and objective of the study necessitates the adoption of the content analysis method. This design is considered appropriate for this study because of its reliability in analysing relevant and visible mass media content as well as giving accurate and dependable result.
This research technique finds relevance when handling research topics dealing with press coverage of various issues. These manifest media content of the selected newspapers- news stories, articles, editorials, opinions, features, cartoons, illustrations etcetera were carefully examined, coded and analysed with a view to making justifiable inferences on the manner of coverage given to the human trafficking in Nigeria.
Population of Study
Nigeria’s two leading daily newspapers served as the population of this study. This is based on their high circulation and their widely diffused market.
The papers considered for this study are Vanguard, and Daily Sun newspapers. The papers were purposively selected to reflect their circulation, scope and preconceived availability. In other words, Vanguard and Daily Sun newspapers are almost available anywhere and they cover all major interest groups in the country in their daily report.
The study analysed human trafficking in these newspapers between 2007 and 2008. All the issues of the two newspapers for the one year period constituted the study population. This means that the time period for this study is from September 2007 to August 2008.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
The above table indicates that news stories accounts for the total coverage of 19(52.8%) (both Daily Sun and Vanguard newspaper) followed by feature/Article/letter which has the total coverage of 16 (44.4%) cartoons accounts for the total coverage of 1 (2.8%) while Editorial has no news covered on human trafficking by the two news covered on human trafficking by the two selected newspapers.
From the table above, the result is glaring that the frequency of issues covered in the two selected newspapers under study fall within the range of 1-5 times with the total number and percentage of 21 (100%) other ranges like 6-10 times and 11 and above score 0. so all the issues on the response of frequency fall within 1-5 times. Thus, the manifest content of the newspaper presents this factual information.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Conclusion
The media are known to be a strong, efficacious & veritable instrument in shaping and ordering social dynamics. It is expected to inform both the public and the government, create a particular view in the minds of the people, educate, sensitize and mobilize the people for actions and campaign against human trafficking.
From the findings, it was observed that there is a small but significant number of Nigerians who are giving our country a bad name. Many of them are traffickers of human trafficking.
It is more tragic when our children, the future of our nation, end up being destroyed in this immoral business and criminal activities. We need to do all we can to sustain the fight. Charity begins at home. All of us must put our hands and heads together with the media to create awareness of the evils of human trafficking because it is an issue the country as a whole needs to do something seriously about.
These evil has created a highly dysfunctional society and are acts of offences, not only against humanity, but also against God. Government has however began the battle against Human Trafficking by enacting the Anti-Trafficking in person law in 2003 by setting up a special law enforcement agency known as the National Agency for the prohibition of traffic in persons and other related matters (NAPTIP)
However, it must be said that in spite of these efforts, human trafficking incidences in Nigeria seem not to be abating. The likely reason for this may be as result of improper implementation of these programmes by these agencies and the biting level of poverty in the land.
Recommendation
The two selected newspapers (Daily Sun and Vanguard) should have a specialized reporter that will give a wider coverage on the evils of trafficking on children on their newspapers daily. The press should draw more attention to the dangers of human trafficking on children’s day (May 27) and Christmas day (December 25) by given greater percentage on children in their editorials, features, public opinion and news in their various newspaper.
The media should also undertake more investigate reporting in order to unearth all the hidden issues that could assist in apprehending and punishing those behind this human trafficking. The security agents should also be more alive to their duties of protecting lives and property. Anybody found guilty of human trafficking should be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.
In today’s global village concept, it is expected that the media should rise to the challenge of meeting with the idea of covering or reporting issues concerning children which include evils of human trafficking, in fact report what happens to children in Africa, Asia America, and all over the world.
Governments should invest in education and provide alternative economic opportunities for children. This will greatly reduce the number of those that will be available for trafficking. Countries should be encouraged to take action against this crime at the national level first, supported by international bodies. There should be severe penalty for traffickers at home and at the destination countries. Basic rights of the victims of trafficking must be respected bearing in mind their special needs and predicament. The press should raise awareness about migration related risks and monitoring migration trends within and between countries.
There should be a renewed campaign on the importance of the family, good family name and de-emphasis on materialism. Religious institutions should join United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the media to condemn the inhumane crime on human trafficking within and outside Nigeria.
Government (political will, legislation and funding) United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), International Labour Organization (ILO) and Publics should put more force in the fight against human trafficking, that is, showing a strong commitment to combat trafficking. However, the awareness of human trafficking should be translated into action especially by the media at the grassroots level.
The media should put more attention in the fight against trafficking because many families and children will be dependent on the media to inform and educate them about the danger of human trafficking. Open discussion on child protection issue by civil society and media engagement can change attitudes that condone human trafficking, also raising awareness on the effect of human trafficking on health and education of the child will help alleviate children’s vulnerability to trafficking.
To curtail the incidence of human trafficking, there is the need to increase societal awareness of issues that may affect children. Prevention of human trafficking can be done by changing those individual and community attitude, belief and circumstances which allows trafficking to occur. A well focused mass media campaign or educational programme has the potential to contribute successfully to community education and prevention of human trafficking and neglect. This is in realization of the fact that the media play significant role in informing people’s attitude and behaviour.
Secondly, human trafficking is one important subject that affects the generality of individuals, families, organizations, government and even a nation. Its subject matter and as it relate with or affects the country cannot be exhausted in just one research study. So I hereby recommend that, further research can be done using survey method which will include administering questionnaire to the public.
Subsequent studies should be replicated on a wider dimension, taking cognizance of rapid growth and proliferation of newspaper industries in Nigeria.
More so, this current study, Featured only privately owned Newspaper establishments in Nigeria, it will also be good for further studies to reflect its coverage by government owned press or even a comparison of the degree of reportage accorded to it by the privately owned and government owned press.
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