The ECOWAS Parliament has commenced a two-phase citizen engagement campaign in The Gambia and Senegal to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with irregular migration and modern slavery.

The body is addressing what it described as one of West Africa’s most significant socio-economic and human security concerns.

The initiative, themed “One Journey, Many Risks. Ask First, Move Safely,” will run in Banjul, The Gambia, from July 6 to 10, before continuing in Dakar, Senegal, from July 13 to 17.

According to a statement released on Sunday, lawmakers of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Sixth Legislature will engage directly with young people, returnees, community leaders, civil society organisations, and other members of the public to promote safe migration practices while discouraging irregular migration.

The regional parliament noted that persistent unemployment, poverty, insecurity, limited economic opportunities, and the pursuit of better livelihoods continue to drive many young West Africans toward hazardous migration routes. These journeys often expose migrants to human trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, and other forms of modern slavery.

It further observed that The Gambia and Senegal remain significantly affected as countries of origin, transit, and return for migrants.

The engagement is intended to educate vulnerable communities about the risks linked to irregular migration while enabling parliamentarians to gather firsthand information on the underlying causes of migration and its social and economic consequences.

In addition, the exercise seeks to strengthen dialogue between legislators and citizens, producing recommendations that will support improved prevention, protection, and reintegration policies at both national and regional levels.

Activities in The Gambia will begin with a courtesy visit to the country’s Minister of Interior, followed by a stakeholder briefing involving the ECOWAS Resident Representative, the Gambian Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP).

The programme will also include community town hall meetings in Bakau, Brikama, and Barra, where parliamentarians will hold interactive sessions with residents and hear testimonies from returnees and survivors of irregular migration.

As part of the awareness drive, a community football event titled “Football for Awareness” will take place in Bakau on July 9, using sports as a platform to reinforce the campaign’s message. The Gambian phase will conclude on July 10 with a debriefing session to assess findings and consolidate recommendations.

The second phase in Senegal will centre on public sensitisation and multi-stakeholder discussions involving youth groups, students, community organisations, returnees, and public institutions in and around Dakar.

According to the Parliament, both stages of the campaign will incorporate open-air town hall meetings, question-and-answer sessions, as well as radio, television, and community media outreach to encourage broad public participation and strengthen community ownership of conversations surrounding safe migration.