This project is designed to strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian media to adequately report and play stronger role in the advocacy against Traffic In Persons (TIP). It is apparent that the Nigerian media needs assistance to improve its watchdog role in monitoring and reporting continuing violation of the rights of citizens. In particular, the Nigerian media needs to report in greater detail the increasingly rampant cases of Traffic In Persons (TIP) and its social, cultural, psychological and economic implications for the citizenry and the nation. According to Section 22 of the operating constitution, the Nigerian media has the responsibility of making government accountable and ensuring that governance is in accordance with Schedule 11 of the constitution. That schedule says that the main purpose of government shall be the security and welfare of the citizens. To the extent that human trafficking does not take place without individual and state security being breached and without the welfare of the victims being compromised, strengthening the coverage of TIP thus becomes a constitutional mandate for the Nigerian media.

The media has indeed given some space to organisations campaigning against traffic in persons. But, usually, such are limited to when such groups organize workshops, seminars and related conferences, or when it involves traffic across borders. Yet TIP occurs on a regular basis internally, backed as it is by a vast network in the cities and the rural areas.  The wider implication of this for development makes it imperative for the media to adopt as one of its agenda the campaign against TIP.
 
The central focus of this project will therefore be how to further develop the capacity of the media to understand the complex nature of TIP and ensure wider coverage of its occurrence and the campaign against it.
Details of Activities

Advocacy Training
The advocacy training will target representatives of selected governmental and non-governmental institutions engaged in TIP work. It will focus on how publicity for their work could be enhanced through greater and more effective media use. The advocacy training will be interactive as news gate-keepers such as line editors, editorial board members, columnists and editors will be invited to exchange views and ideas with representatives of government, NGOs, CSOs etc Participants will be drawn from places other than the location of the training. This will be the first stage of the project

Training workshop
The aim of the training workshop is to enhance the overall understanding of reporters on the use of investigative skills to report on the intricacies and complexities of TIP. The training will emphasize the human rights dimensions of traffic in persons. There shall be emphasis on access to the media of victims and respect for their rights on how they will like to be reported. Participants will include crime reporters, judiciary reporters, general beat reporters and features writers in the print media, wireless, and broadcast media (radio and TV). 
Publications
A report on the entire project will be published at the end of the activities. But more specifically, a media handbook on the reporting of TIP will be produced and distributed. The handbook will incorporate an introduction of TIP, investigative resources, tips on reporting, the human rights dimensions of TIP etc.