BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
An Edo State indigene and daughter of a renowned preacher Archbishop Margaret Benson Idahosa of Church of God Mission International has bagged a special Award for Anti-Human Trafficking Campaign in the United States of America.
The award recipient Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa is among the distinguished 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report heroes released by the United States Department of State, Washington, recently.
Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa from Benin City, Edo State is the founder and Executive Director of Pathfinders Justice Initiative (PJI). She is widely recognized as a leading expert and thought leader in the areas of modern-day slavery and gender-based violence in sub-Saharan Africa.
At the award presentation event, Secretary of State Antony Blinken seized the opportunity to recognize and honor the exemplary work of the 2023 TIP Report Heroes.
Secretary Blinken expressed his delight in showcasing her remarkable achievements.
According to him, R. Evon Benson-Idahosa’s unwavering dedication to empowering and uplifting the voices of sex trafficking survivors has earned her acknowledgment.
Continuing, the Secretary stated, “through her organization, she has played a crucial role in addressing the root causes of human trafficking and providing essential support to those affected.
“Furthermore, her advocacy work with the Nigerian government at various levels has resulted in significant improvements to anti-trafficking policy and legislation.
“Today, the State Department is releasing the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report. This report provides a comprehensive, objective assessment of 188 countries and territories – including the United States. Its purpose is to showcase successful efforts to prevent trafficking, to identify areas where countries are falling short and have more work to do, and ultimately – ultimately – to eliminate trafficking altogether.
“The United States is committed to combatting human trafficking because it represents an attack on human rights and freedoms. It violates the universal right of every person to have autonomy over their own life and actions. Today, more than 27 million people around the world are denied that right.
“Trafficking harms our societies: weakening the rule of law, corrupting supply chains, exploiting workers, fueling violence. And it disproportionately impacts traditionally marginalized groups: women, individuals, persons with disabilities, ethnic and religious minorities”.
The U.S Secretary of State however stressed the need for collaborative efforts to combating human trafficking.
Speaking on behalf of other honorees, Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa expressed gratitude for the recognition and acknowledged the collective efforts of countless individuals who tirelessly work for justice and reconciliation.
She used the occasion to share the tragic story of Faith, a Nigerian woman trafficked and subjected to the horrors of the European sex industry until her untimely death.
“I also stand before you on behalf of millions of African women whose bodies have been legislated upon, weaponized, but especially on behalf of Faith, a young Nigerian woman whose last words to me in September of 2016 were, “Auntie, I’m dying.” Those three words still echo in my mind.
“Faith’s story represents the reality of thousands of victims annually who are waiting for those of us with access and power and privilege to muster the social and economic courage to do for others what we do for ourselves.
“As visionaries who see the world as it should be, not as it is, the new face of our response requires a fundamental shift in consciousness that prioritizes reconciliation and promotes an integrated, intersectional, and interdependent methodology”, Evon Benson-Idahosa noted.
The Nigerian activist urged governments to address systemic failures and prioritize the well-being of people over profit. She stressed the necessity of inviting those who have been traditionally excluded to participate in decision-making processes, ensuring that those most impacted by trafficking have their voices heard.
Evon Benson-Idahosa emphasized the need for compassion, empathy, and long-term commitments to structural transformation.
“And finally, on a micro level, we must each commit to doing the small daily actions that exemplify love – offering a cup of water to the thirsty, taking only that which you need, abandoning intellectual dishonesty that denies our own complicity in injustice, choosing kindness over indifference and the collective good over individual advancement.
“That is how we reconcile the world. It is how we choose a world that extols the values that we contend guard our collective conscience and, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “embody an audacious faith in the future of mankind.”, she concluded.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has sent a message of congratulations to the Founder of Pathfinders Justice Initiative and Hub of Economic Resources For Survisors Africa , Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa for the meritorious Award.
According to him “I congratulate you, Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa on the recognition by the United State Government for your immense work in deepening the fight against sex trafficking in Nigeria.
“I salute your concerted efforts through the Pathfinders Justice Initiative and Hub of Economic Resources For Survivors Africa in contributing to the global charge to end sex trafficking. This includes the provision of protection and prevention services to more than 3,000 women and girls.
“We are proud of the excellent work you have done and celebrate your hard work and determination in ensuring a better life for young people across the world”, he stated.
Governor Godwin Obaseki stated further that Ruth Evon Benson-Idahosa would serve as a role model to youths in Edo state and would continue to advance the state government’s campaign against human trafficking.
