A/HRC/41/46/Add.1 inheritance is mainly from father to son and, in some cases, the eldest son inherits the bulk of the property. As a consequence, when the husband in a polygamous marriage and lowincome family dies and has just one property to be inherited by his first son, many women are left to look for alternative ways of surviving, one of which is for their daughters to migrate abroad and be trafficked for sexual exploitation. The same happens to daughters in monogamous marriages. Discrimination against women regarding the right to inherit land and property is one of the most prominent root causes of trafficking, while international remittances sent to families in Benin City by women and girls trafficked to Europe have also been identified as a factor perpetuating human trafficking there.8 Madams operating a trafficking ring and returning with their fortune to their communities to invest in expensive properties have been seen as major examples of success and have contributed to fostering the false perception that life abroad is always better than in Nigeria. 70. Poverty, gender inequality, discrimination and stereotypes are also coupled with strong traditional practices and beliefs, particularly entrenched in certain regions. Other than the well-known practice of juju, which has been condemning victims of trafficking to the “oath of secrecy”, families also tend to see children as an investment for the family and even push them into the hands of traffickers and later tolerate their exploitation, insofar as they are able to lift their families out of poverty and improve the economic status of the household.9 71. Engaging with traditional rulers and community and religious leaders is paramount for ensuring effective preventive anti-trafficking actions. The initiative of Oba Ewuare II of Benin, who released victims of trafficking from their oath of secrecy and placed a curse on traffickers, has produced unprecedented results and proven to have a great impact on the lives of thousands of women and girls in Nigeria and abroad. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to continue to engage with traditional and religious leaders and make use of their positive influence by replicating such initiatives across all regions affected by trafficking in persons. 72. The Special Rapporteur commends the efforts of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in putting an emphasis on prevention by, inter alia, carrying out awareness-raising programmes in partnership with civil society organizations. She also particularly welcomes the success of the Agency in advocating for the integration of anti-trafficking education into the curricula for primary and secondary schools. Instrumental in that regard have been the invaluable commitment of survivors, who have been carrying out awareness-raising campaigns in schools, churches and mosques, and the publication of the first anthology on human trafficking consisting of poems by secondary school pupils.10 73. During her visit, the Special Rapporteur also noted with appreciation several initiatives, including many sponsored by the European Union and its member States, aimed at supporting awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of human trafficking and “irregular migration”. However, given the very limited existing channels for safe and regular migration, especially to Europe, awareness-raising has proved to be insufficient if not coupled with the development of programmes offering education, vocational training and literacy, and also long-term interventions resulting in real economic empowerment. While trafficking in persons cuts across all social classes and ages, those who are willing to attempt perilous journeys, even before becoming victims of trafficking, are affected by poverty and inequality, especially when forcibly repatriated. When that happens, they often return to the same conditions of vulnerability that pushed them to resort to traffickers. It is therefore important to find better ways to address the issue of prevention. That should not only entail increasing dedicated resources for joint projects and operations, which is 8 9 10 14 See Clementina A. Osezua, “Changing status of women and the phenomenon trafficking of women for transactional sex in Nigeria: a qualitative analysis”, Journal of International Women’s Studies, vol. 14, No. 3 (July 2013). See K.A. Eghafona, “The bane of female trafficking in Nigeria: an examination of the role of the family in Benin society” in Towards a Sane Society, A. Awaritefe, ed. (Benin City, Nigeria, Roma publications, 2009). See I am Not to Be Sold, Tobore Ighofume Ovuorie, ed. (Parrésia Publishers, Lagos, 2016.)