Assessment of NAPTIP Communication Strategies in Curtailing Gender-Based Human Trafficking in FCT Abuja, Nigeria

Background: Gender-based-dynamism plays a significant role in human trafficking and the impact of the menace on the victims is believed to be different based on the gender involved. This is why this study is evaluating the potential of communication strategies in mitigating gender-based human trafficking in FCT Abuja, Nigeria. Objectives: The study investigated the effectiveness of communication strategies in raising awareness about gender-specific vulnerabilities to human trafficking and evaluating the effect of targeted communication interventions on empowering potential female victims and survivors of human trafficking. Method: A mixed research method was adopted. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data, and a Key Informant Interview (KII) guide was used to obtain qualitative data. The population of the study was three Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Thousand (3,840,000). A sample of 413 respondents was used for the study which was drawn using Wimmer and Dominick (2013) online sample size determination calculator and over-sampling techniques as recommended by Bartlett, Kotrlik, and Higgins (2001, p.46). A multistage sampling technique was adopted in distributing the study’s structured questionnaires across six area councils of Abuja. In contrast, the Key Informant Interview, (KII) guide was used to collect qualitative data from officials of NAPTIP in the Abuja headquarters office across six departments of the agency. This was done using Creswell’s (2014) purposive sampling techniques which involves selecting participants that the researcher believes would contribute meaningfully to the study’s analysis. The study was anchored on feminism theory. Result: Findings indicated that: TV talk shows, town hall meetings, and social media outreach have significantly increased the impact of NAPTIP’s campaigns. The study also found that residents of Abuja believed that NAPTIP’s communication strategies had reached vulnerable populations even though the effect was minimal. Conclusion: It concludes that NAPTIP’s communication strategies have influenced Abuja residents’ perceptions and attitudes toward gender roles in human trafficking. The respondents perception is that communication strategies have arose self-awareness, consciousness, actions and precautions in them. The residents of Abuja also believed that NAPTIP’s communication strategies have reached vulnerable populations to a minimal extent. Unique Contribution: TV, (talk shows, Conversation with the DG), town hall meetings, and social media outreach have significantly improved the impact of NAPTIP’s campaigns, while there’s a need to optimize the Help App and radio strategies to increase their effectiveness in combating gender-based human trafficking in Abuja. NAPTIP needs to reassess and enhance its communication approaches to better engage and protect the gender at higher risk of human trafficking in Abuja, Nigeria. Key Recommendation: The study recommends that NAPTIP should reassess its communication approaches to better engage and protect the gender at higher risk of human trafficking in Abuja.