Kampala, Uganda – In a significant effort to tackle human trafficking, the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development has launched the “Safe Migration” campaign aimed at educating Ugandans about safe migration practices. The initiative is particularly focused on addressing the alarming trend of young girls from Eastern Uganda being trafficked to Arab countries.
At the campaign launch, Esther Anyakun, the State Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations, highlighted the urgent need for action as many victims find themselves stranded abroad. “We suspect traffickers are taking advantage of weak border controls to smuggle them out of the country,” she stated. The Minister revealed that recent data shows a significant percentage of girls pardoned by Saudi authorities are from Eastern Uganda.
The Safe Migration campaign seeks to inform citizens about the dangers of irregular migration while promoting legal employment opportunities abroad. Minister Anyakun called upon local leaders and families to work together in reporting cases of trafficking and exploitation. “Some companies registered as tours and travel agencies are illegally trafficking girls,” she warned.
As part of this initiative, the Ministry plans to enhance border security and collaborate with international partners to repatriate victims. The campaign also encourages young people to explore government programs aimed at income generation, such as the Parish Development Model and Youth Livelihood Programme.