Family Service Piedmont Calls On GOL To Declare January 11 National Anti-Trafficking Day, Hosts Training to Combat Human Trafficking

 August 5, 2025

By Lazota Bility

In a strong move to combat human trafficking and enhance national response mechanisms, Family Service Piedmont has hosted a one-day training in Liberia, with a strong call for January 11 every year to be set aside as National Anti-Trafficking Day

Under the theme: “Strengthening Cross-Border Responses.” The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, legal professionals, and community leaders. Together, they addressed the rising threat of human trafficking, which was described as a serious violation of human rights not only in Liberia but across the region.

During the overview, Madam Satta Sadi Johnson, Human Trafficking Outreach Specialist at Family Service of the Piedmont, emphasized the need for continuous national awareness and education on trafficking issues. “Human trafficking is everyone’s business.

We must give it our best,” she urged. “Let us make January 11 a National Anti-Trafficking Day. Let Liberia take the lead. Madam Johnson stressed that public engagement must move beyond policy, becoming a permanent fixture in Liberia’s national consciousness.

“Many of our people still don’t fully understand how trafficking works. More campaigns can transform lives,” she said. noting that Family Service supported over 28,000 survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual abuse globally in the past year alone.

Superintendent Enoch Dunbar, Director of the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Liberia National Police, shed light on the complex forms of trafficking that occurs within the country. “When someone is taken from Bong County to Monrovia under false pretenses, that’s internal trafficking and just as serious,” he explained.

He warned of traffickers who exploit hope by offering fake promises of education or job opportunities abroad, leading victims into exploitative situations. “Even sponsorship programs can be a cover for trafficking.

 Many children promised education are instead used as domestic laborers,” he added. Cllr. J. Alben Greaves, a human rights lawyer, called for a coordinated national resistance to trafficking. “We cannot turn a blind eye. Human trafficking robs individuals of their freedom, dignity, and hope.

Every sector government, civil society, and communities must fight back.” Referencing the 1986 Constitution and the subsequent 2005 Act on Human Trafficking, Cllr. Greaves noted that Liberia has made strides in aligning with international standards such as the Palermo Protocol.

The Act also established a National Task Force and National Action Plans, the latest of which covered 2019–2024. Participants including representatives from NGOs, community watch groups, security agencies, and legal institutions agreed on one point: dismantling trafficking networks requires a united national front.

The event highlighted a growing national movement to embed anti-trafficking strategies into Liberia’s policies, education systems and justice frameworks. Stakeholders Namely: The Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Justice, and Voice of the Voiceless expressed commitment to not only enforce the law but also educate and empower vulnerable communities especially women and children.

The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, legal professionals, and community leaders. Together, they addressed the rising threat of human trafficking, which was described as a serious violation of human rights not only in Liberia but across the region.

During the overview, Madam Satta Sadi Johnson, Human Trafficking Outreach Specialist at Family Service of the Piedmont, emphasized the need for continuous national awareness and education on trafficking issues. “Human trafficking is everyone’s business.

We must give it our best,” she urged. “Let us make January 11 a National Anti-Trafficking Day. Let Liberia take the lead. Madam Johnson stressed that public engagement must move beyond policy, becoming a permanent fixture in Liberia’s national consciousness.

“Many of our people still don’t fully understand how trafficking works. More campaigns can transform lives,” she said. noting that Family Service supported over 28,000 survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual abuse globally in the past year alone.

Superintendent Enoch Dunbar, Director of the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Liberia National Police, shed light on the complex forms of trafficking that occurs within the country. “When someone is taken from Bong County to Monrovia under false pretenses, that’s internal trafficking and just as serious,” he explained.

He warned of traffickers who exploit hope by offering fake promises of education or job opportunities abroad, leading victims into exploitative situations. “Even sponsorship programs can be a cover for trafficking.

 Many children promised education are instead used as domestic laborers,” he added. Cllr. J. Alben Greaves, a human rights lawyer, called for a coordinated national resistance to trafficking. “We cannot turn a blind eye. Human trafficking robs individuals of their freedom, dignity, and hope.

Every sector government, civil society, and communities must fight back.” Referencing the 1986 Constitution and the subsequent 2005 Act on Human Trafficking, Cllr. Greaves noted that Liberia has made strides in aligning with international standards such as the Palermo Protocol.

The Act also established a National Task Force and National Action Plans, the latest of which covered 2019–2024. Participants including representatives from NGOs, community watch groups, security agencies, and legal institutions agreed on one point: dismantling trafficking networks requires a united national front.

The event highlighted a growing national movement to embed anti-trafficking strategies into Liberia’s policies, education systems and justice frameworks. Stakeholders Namely: The Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Justice, and Voice of the Voiceless expressed commitment to not only enforce the law but also educate and empower vulnerable communities especially women and children.