Deadline: July 11, 2025
Applications are open for the IOM Short Film Contest on Combating Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria 2025. Each year, the world commemorates the global fight against trafficking in persons on 30 July during World Day against Trafficking in Persons. The commemoration provides the opportunity for all fringes of society – from artists to decision-makers – to come together to reflect around progresses and challenges made in addressing trafficking in persons.
This year, this global campaign will be marked around the theme Human trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation underscoring the vital role of law enforcement and the criminal justice system in dismantling organized trafficking networks while ensuring a victim-centred approach.
Contest Details
According to UNODC, human trafficking continues to be a global threat driven by organized crime. More and more victims are being trafficked every year, across greater distances, with greater violence, for longer periods of time and for greater profit. From 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 detected victims globally. IOM Nigeria data shows that from April 2017 to date, over 5,981 victims have been assisted to return to Nigeria as part of the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration program.
Despite the efforts made by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), organized criminal network continue to exploit most migrants with false promises of greener pastures abroad. They use online platforms, social media, and the dark web to recruit and exploit victims, utilizing technology to evade detection, reach wider audiences, and disseminate exploitative content.
As part of its national campaign against trafficking in persons, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is delighted to announce the Third Edition of the Short Film Contest on Combating Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria. Launched in 2023, the contest is one of IOM’s flagship initiatives in Nigeria aimed at galvanizing youth and creative actors in the global fight against inequality, exploitation, and abuse.
This contest offers platforms for young Nigerian filmmakers and film enthusiasts to actively engage with this pressing issue and contribute to positive change within their communities and beyond. It aims to amplify voices and narratives that contribute to the fight against trafficking in persons in Nigeria, and to ignite a dialogue among key actors on how we can work better together to address trafficking in persons before, during and after the fact.
Awards
The contest plans to award prizes as follows:
- First prize: $2,500
- Second prize: $1,500
- Third prize: $1,000
Eligibility
- Open to all young Nigerians under 35 years old with a keen interest in the cross-cutting issues of counter trafficking, human rights of migrants, media, and social justice among others.
- While the people appearing in the video/film can be of any age, it is important that the film reflects the thoughts and opinions of the young filmmaker(s) about different forms of trafficking in persons and counter trafficking. The person submitting the video (“the participant”) must be actively involved in its making, e.g., either as a director, writer, camera operator, editor, actor, coordinator, etc.
- Multiple youths can work together on one video and submit the final product as a single entry for their group work.
Film entries must be:
- Under twenty (26) minutes in length, including title(s) and opening/closing credits. If an entry is slightly below or above the aforementioned time limit, it will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-to-case basis
- Submitted with English subtitles.
- Produced after 1 January 2023.
Application
In addition, film entries can be of any genre (animation, documentary, music video, comedy, etc.) as long as they have the potential to make the audience think in constructive ways about the theme of combating human trafficking in Nigeria. If selected, entrants must be prepared to submit a digital copy of their video in either of the following formats: MOV (preferred), or MP4. HD is preferred (1920×1080) but not required.
To submit a video for consideration, you must first complete the online registration form. Provide all of the required information. Incomplete submissions will lead to disqualification. The form will ask you to submit your film through a video-streaming website (YouTube). The participant will be asked to include the URL of the video in the online form. The entrant must ensure that the video link is accessible and not private.
For more information, visit IOM Short Film Contest.
