Zanzibar – 22 July 2020

In anticipation of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (TiP) this year, 2020, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations (UN) Migration Agency together with the Anti Trafficking in Persons' (TiP) Secretariat organized a meeting on TiP with members of the media in Zanzibar, today,  22 July 2020.

Major objective of the meeting was to raise awareness among members of the media to effectively report and raise awareness among general public on TiP in Zanzibar. 

Media outlets that have attended the meeting included: local radio, television (TV) stations and newspapers in Zanzibar.

A press release was issued by the Minister for Employment, Empowerment, Elderly, and Children of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar at the closure of the meeting (please see here if you have...).

The international community, including IOM, considers Trafficking in Persons (TiP) as one of the grossest violations of human rights. It is therefore of utmost importance to take actions and respond to it effectively. To this end, IOM Tanzania promotes prevention and response to TiP in line with the Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act, 2006, National Anti-Trafficking in Persons Action Plan (2018 – 2021) and the National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (NPA VAWC) 2017 -2022.

The National Anti-Trafficking in Persons Action Plan recognizes that, trafficking in persons affects the whole society. Therefore, efforts to combat and prevent it require support and cooperation of all sectors such as government ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organizations, international organizations and the media. The Action Plan also mention that, public awareness raising is one of the most important strategies for preventing Trafficking in Persons because it creates an informed, responsible and responsive public.

Financed through the project Africa Regional Migration Program Phase X East and Horn of Africa funded by the State Department Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration (BPRM) of the United States of America (USA), the meeting in Zanzibar is in full alignment with IOM’s participation in the United Nations (UN) Joint Programmes under the Pillar "Ending Violence Against Women and Children in the United Republic of Tanzania Tanzania, which is under the framework of the United Nations Development Assistance Plan II (UNDAP -2) 2017-2021.

Within this framework, IOM supports the direct and specialized assistance to victims of trafficking including shelter assistance, capacity-building to frontline workers, community dialogues and awareness-raising activities.

“IOM stands ready to support the efforts of the Anti-Trafficking Committee in its fight against this terrible crime in the country,” stated Dr Qasim Sufi, IOM Chief of Mission (CoM) to the United Republic of Tanzania.

For more information please contact:

Halima Sonda at hsonda@iom.int or tel: +255 699 699 392 or

Sarah Abdalla at sabdalla@iom.int or tel: +255 777 465 090