Fingers crossed for the Victoria Derbyshire Show on BBC 2
We have been waiting to post an update until we had further information from the BBC. What started as a 90-second clip on BBC South has expanded to a seven-minute segment to be broadcast on the BBC News channel and, although not confirmed yet, the Victoria Derbyshire show on BBC 2. We are also hoping it will be translated into Pidgin for broadcast in Nigeria. We are very excited and very grateful to BBC journalist James Ingham at BBC South. As things stand it looks like the piece will air on Thursday 20th February.
On the ground in Dubai, it has been difficult to keep in contact with the situation as the women go through a cycle of punishment, phones & passports being confiscated etc. We don’t want to say too much here but logistically we are close to being ready to return to Dubai. We have also been put in touch with a woman who was trafficked to Dubai by her father from Nigeria. Not only does this enable us to repatriate one more victim but it also helps open another case file for NAPTIP (National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons) in Benin.
Throughout this process, we have been in close contact with NAPTIP, Idia Renaissance and recently the Lagos office of German women’s charity, SOLWODI. We have also taken advice from the Nigerian Consulate in Dubai. We have also tried to involve as many organisations on the ground in Nigeria as possible in the BBC story to help their profile.
The two girls already back in Nigeria seem to be thriving. Amy is two weeks into her sewing apprenticeship and has completed her first dress. Bindy is still undecided as to her future but local NGO, Idia Renaissance is planning to offer her some skills training in order that she can become financially independent. We are in touch with both daily.
