Ghana Demands Justice for Trafficked Victims: No Prosecution for Crimes Committed Under Duress
In Ghana, a national anti-human trafficking forum has called on the Government to stop treating victims of trafficking for forced cybercrime as criminals. The call comes as part of a communiqué adopted at the National Online Forum commemorating the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
Trapped Behind the Scam: Ghana's Youth in Peril
Trafficking for forced criminality is a rapidly growing form of transnational organised crime, with criminal syndicates targeting educated, English-speaking, and digitally literate young people through fake online job advertisements circulated on social media and other digital platforms. The forum, organised under the theme "Trapped Behind the Scam – Protecting Ghanaian Youth from Trafficking for Forced Criminality," brought together representatives from government, international organisations, civil society, academia, financial institutions, the media, and youth groups.
No Prosecution for Crimes Committed Under Duress
The communiqué warned that prosecuting trafficked persons who are coerced into committing cyber-enabled fraud before authorities determine whether they are victims of human trafficking denies survivors justice and enables the criminal networks responsible for recruiting and exploiting them to evade prosecution. It called on the Government to ensure that every individual rescued from, or returned from, a scam operation is first screened as a potential trafficking victim before any criminal charges or deportation proceedings are initiated.
Survivors Need Protection, Not Stigma
Beyond legal reforms, the communiqué highlighted the long-term psychological trauma experienced by survivors, noting that many face rejection and stigma upon returning to their communities. It warned that inadequate support systems leave survivors vulnerable to being trafficked a second time, and urged government to strengthen the Human Trafficking Secretariat and improve referral systems by expanding access to shelters, trauma-informed counselling, rehabilitation services, and reintegration programmes.
Online Recruitment Under Scrutiny
The communiqué described trafficking for forced criminality as a crime operating at the intersection of human trafficking and cybercrime. It warned that criminal syndicates increasingly target educated, English-speaking, and digitally literate young people through fake online job advertisements circulated on social media and other digital platforms. To combat the trend, participants called on the Cyber Security Authority to simplify public reporting of suspicious recruitment schemes, work with social media companies and telecommunications operators to remove fraudulent recruitment content, and strengthen collaboration between cybersecurity and anti-trafficking agencies.
Greater Regional Cooperation
Recognising the cross-border nature of the crime, the communiqué called for deeper collaboration among ECOWAS member states, INTERPOL, and international partners through intelligence-sharing, joint investigations, and coordinated law enforcement operations. Participants also appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ghana's diplomatic missions to strengthen consular support and assisted return programmes for Ghanaians trapped in trafficking compounds abroad.
Youth Awareness Campaign
The forum called for sustained awareness campaigns targeting young people through social media, peer educators, and digital content creators. Participants recommended promoting a simple message aimed at helping young job seekers identify fraudulent recruitment offers: "No legitimate employer takes your passport, charges you to work, or rushes you to travel. If an offer does any of these, it is not a job—it is a trap." They also encouraged universities to establish campus ambassador programmes to educate students on trafficking risks while urging researchers and journalists to report on the issue accurately and avoid portraying trafficked persons as willing participants in criminal activities.
Unemployment Identified as Underlying Driver
The communiqué identified unemployment and the attraction of quick money online as key factors driving young people into the hands of traffickers. Participants argued that preventing trafficking ultimately requires creating meaningful economic opportunities for young people, adding that supporting survivors to rebuild their lives should be viewed as an important form of prevention.
As Ghana moves to address the issue of trafficking for forced criminality, the call for greater regional cooperation, improved support systems for survivors, and sustained awareness campaigns targeting young people is clear. The next steps will be crucial in determining the effectiveness of these efforts in protecting Ghana's youth from the scourge of human trafficking.
Source: Joy Online
