Intro to Talitha Kum Assembly 2019

10 RENATE members were amongst the 86 delegates from 48 countries, representatives of 52 Talitha Kum networks committed to work to end trafficking in persons on all continents, gathered in Rome at the International Union of Superiors General in thanksgiving and prayerful discernment from September 21 – 27, 2019.  

Amongst the objectives of the Assembly, were the following:

• to celebrate the 10​th​ anniversary of Talitha Kum; 
• evaluate the work done together according to the priorities set in 2016; 
• define the priorities for Talitha Kum International to support anti-trafficking efforts for the period of 2020-2025. 

Human trafficking throughout the world takes many forms. As members of an international network and followers of Jesus Christ, we hear the call to respond to the root causes of human trafficking which transcend national borders.  

In order to live our mission and vision to combat human trafficking, the following three priority areas of structural injustice were identified and agreed at the Assembly;

1. The power differential between men and women in all sectors: economic, social, familial, political, cultural and religious.
2. The dominant model of neo-liberal development and unfettered capitalism creates situations of vulnerability that are exploited by recruiters, traffickers, employers and buyers.   
3. Unjust and inadequate immigration law and policy coupled with forced migration and displacement puts people at greater risk of being trafficked.

Full declaration available below.