A/HRC/41/46/Add.1 Development, which focuses on eliminating sexual and physical violence against children and encourages more states to adopt and enforce the Child Rights Act. C. Institutional framework 37. At the federal level, the Anti-Trafficking Act established the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, operating under the Federal Ministry of Justice. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the establishment of the Agency as a unique model of specialized public entity, with the primary responsibility for arresting, investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of trafficking in persons, as well as providing protection and assistance to victims. The Agency is also tasked, among other things, with the prevention of trafficking in persons, capacity-building and awareness-raising aimed at educating the public about the dangers of trafficking and conducting joint operations with relevant law enforcement and security agencies, international authorities and other relevant partners. During the visit, the Agency stated that it worked in close cooperation with the Nigerian Immigration Service and the police, both operating under the Federal Ministry of Interior. However, the Special Rapporteur notes that coordination might be challenging in practice, especially considering that the Agency does not yet have offices in the border areas. 38. Throughout her visit, the Special Rapporteur also noted that, despite the Agency operating amidst shrinking resources and underfunding, there was a general perception in the country that it was the sole agency responsible for providing anti-trafficking responses. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this may run the risk of other federal governmental departments, such as the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Education and Youth Development, delegating all anti-trafficking responses to the Agency instead of putting their joint efforts into strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Agency. 39. At state level, the Special Rapporteur also commends the creation, through the Edo State Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law, of the Edo State task force against human trafficking, which was inaugurated in August 2017 by the Executive Governor of Edo State and is chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice. The main activities of the task force include the investigation and prosecution of traffickers, prevention and awareness-raising campaigns, including by tackling the root causes of trafficking and gender-based discrimination and stereotyping, offering protection through psychosocial support, providing short and long-term accommodation for victims, the vocational training of survivors and support for the return and reintegration of victims of trafficking. While it might be challenging to measure the impact of the task force at present, owing to its recent creation, the Special Rapporteur was positively impressed by the stated commitment and sense of initiative of the members of the task force with whom she met, especially with regard to their active involvement of and coordination with civil society organizations offering long-term protection and assistance to survivors. D. Protection of trafficked persons 40. Trafficking in persons cannot be eradicated without paying attention to the rights and needs of victims and survivors. Overall, the Special Rapporteur found that trafficking in Nigeria was still addressed through a strong law enforcement and repressive approach and that the protection and promotion of victims’ rights were not given the same level of consideration. 41. The lack of official data represents a major challenge in ensuring that all victims of trafficking are protected. In that regard, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the initiative of the National Human Rights Commission in the management of a database of missing persons in Nigeria, which is triggered by complaints from families and which, although not necessarily aimed at detecting victims of trafficking, can be linked to trafficking in persons since in some cases victims could be reported missing before being identified as trafficked. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Commission to take a more active role in the prevention of trafficking in persons and the protection of its victims, in cooperation with the 8