Unified Against Trafficking: JDPC Benin Joins African Leaders to Launch Historic Anti-Trafficking Network


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-By Ruben Mario Brodrick 

ABUJA, NIGERIA – In a major stride toward eradicating human trafficking and ensuring safe migration across the continent, the Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Benin, actively participated in the historic Inaugural Summit of the Pathways to Freedom Africa Network (PFAN).

​Held at the Pope John Paul II Catholic Centre in Abuja, the summit was organized in collaboration with JDPC Abuja and supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and CBM.

​Under the urgent theme, “Inclusive Strategies for Ending Human Trafficking: Reaching the Most Marginalized,” the event gathered an esteemed assembly of global Church leaders, development partners, priests, and dedicated stakeholders. Notably, the summit was graced by Fabio Cardinal Baggio and his delegation from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, alongside Archbishops and Bishops from across Africa, including Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, Most Rev. Anselm Umoren, Most Rev. Peter Makau, and Most Rev. Joseph Marie Kizito.

​A Summit of Action and Inclusion

Moving beyond rhetoric, the summit achieved five groundbreaking milestones designed to reshape anti-trafficking efforts from 2026 through 2028:

  • ​The Birth of PFAN: The formal launch of the Pathways to Freedom Africa Network as a permanent, Pan-African coalition.
  • ​Strategic Blueprints: The collaborative co-design of immediate operational blueprints.
  • ​True Inclusion: Modeling a standard for inclusion, where over 21% of all active summit participants were persons with disabilities.
  • ​A Roadmap for Tomorrow: The official adoption of a binding 2026–2028 strategic framework.
  • ​Honoring Legacy: Scaling up the successful "Grow Edo" model, honoring the foundational steps of the 2018 Santa Marta process.

​The landmark event concluded with a Holy Mass presided over by the Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, symbolizing a spiritual and collective renewal of vows to protect the vulnerable.

​By standing at the forefront of this continental movement, JDPC Benin reaffirms its unwavering commitment to upholding human dignity, dismantling trafficking networks, and championing inclusive development for the most marginalized in our communities.

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