Archives for July 2015 | Stop Human Trafficking

Posted on July 31st, 2015 By developer

Anti-Trafficking Campaign at the POHODA Music Festival in Slovakia

Raising awareness about HT at the POHODA Music Festival

From July 8 to 12 we participated at the 19th edition of the most famous multi-genre festival in Slovakia called POHODA. It took place at the airport of the city of Trenčín and we came to present our project “STOP Human Trafficking” with our campaign GIFT Box Slovakia – people are not for sale (more about the campaign on http://www.obchodsludmi.sk/giftbox/index.php). Except of this the festival visitors were given information about the global extent of human trafficking and how does the modern slavery affect us all in everyday life.

GIFT Box at the POHODA Music Festival in Slovakia

In addition, more than two hundred people joined us in our new campaign by getting picture taken with a message STOP Human Trafficking. Soon there will be a mosaic composed out of these pictures, which will be accessible on our website www.obchodsludmi.sk, Facebook and also on the cover of our magazine. This way we´d like to express our common statement against global enslavement and our commitment to fight TOGETHER against it. At the festival we also offered colourful handbags ideal for summer time that were made in one of our shelters for victims of human trafficking.

Information shared by the Team of STOP Human Trafficking Project at Caritas Slovakia, members of RENATE.

STOP Human Trafficking Project Team at the POHODA Music Festival — STOP Human Trafficking Project Team at POHODA Festival

Posted on July 29th, 2015 By developer

30 July – UN World Day against Trafficking in Persons

Sign up for the 30^th July, 2015 Thunderclap and join the coordinated social mass media message that will be issued on the UN World Day against Trafficking in Persons.
‘I give hope’ campaign was launched by the UN in 2014, to raise awareness about human trafficking and invite people worldwide, to show solidarity with the victims of this crime.
The campaign is repeated again this year. We are each called by Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General to “act as one in the name of justice and dignity for all” (WDTIP) and to “cultivate warm ties that strengthen our common humanity and promote the well-being of the human family” (IDF). You can show your solidarity with the victims of human trafficking by logging on to www.unodc.org/endht and downloading the series of leaflets, logos and campaign images, which are helpful to awareness-raising.
Additionally, you can visit www.endHT.org to read and share more about how NGOs across the world are working to help survivors of trafficking.
Spread the word and invite friends to join the Thunder, through support with Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Adapted and compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 29th, 2015 By developer

Criminality at Sea, Involving Trafficking and the Exploitation of Human Beings

An Outlaw Ocean series of investigative journalism draws attention to criminality at sea, involving trafficking and the exploitation of human beings

Writing for The Outlaw Ocean Series in the New York Times this summer, 2015, investigation journalist Ian Urbina’ s articles encapsulates the complex web of criminality on the high seas.
Alarming insights are presented on how violence at sea and on land are handled differently and how little regard there is for the dignity of the human person when shipping vessels become places of detention, exploitation and even death by foul means.
To feed the demands of the global economy, 90% of the world’s goods are transported on the high seas. Often, maritime laws are not as extensive as those governing air, road and rail transportation.
Tens of thousands are enslaved on boats each year – many of them minors –because of debt payments or coercion or fleeing from war. Frequently, they are subjected to inhumane conditions without respite or sufficient food to survive.
In Men and laws, thrown overboard, which featured on the 17^th July 2015, we read of the exploitation and harsh realities for those on board the Dona Liberta, a rusty, refrigerated cargo vessel which has a record of regularly switching off its mandatory satellite tracking signal, dumping oil and pollutants into the seas, abandoning crew members, abusing stowaways and turning a blind eye to people traffickers.
For more, see: www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/world/stowaway-crime-scofflaw-ship.html?_r=0
In the second series of articles, Murder at Sea: Captured on Video but Killers Go Free, Urbina writes of lawlessness and unaccounted for murder at sea. We read of armed gangs running protection rackets and ruthless pirates attacking container ships; human traffickers transporting refugees and migrants in less than seaworthy boats, in addition to violence amongst fishing boats competing against each other in the rush greedily to harvest the sea.
On a cautionary note, the article includes some disturbing video content, which only serves to heighten awareness of the additional, enormous risks for migrants and trafficked persons, innocent victims of the inhumanity of persons to persons.
You can access the latest article on: www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/world/middleeast/murder-at-sea-captured-on-video-but-killers-go-free.html

Adapted & compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 27th, 2015 By developer

Raising Awareness about HT at the National Catholic Youth Days in Romania

National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca, June 2015

Blessed are we when our hearts are pure and free!
We will see the Lord, living Redeemer of our life!
Walking with Him, disciples of His Love and Cross,
we search for Life in holiness.
This was the refrain which 2.000 young catholics and I sang every day between the 22^nd – 26^th of June at the National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
We enjoyed a double celebration because this year Cluj was chosen to be the European Youth Capital 2015.
Fr. Daniel Ange, the Founder of Jeunesse-Lumière Evangelisation School in France, the main speaker at the event, spoke to us about Gender Theory, the importance of chastity and real friendships.
At the invitation of the organizers, we as SOLWODI Romania presented a series of workshops on Trafficking in Human Beings. Participants at the workshops had several questions and showed a lot of interest on safe migration, “loverboy” method, video-chat exploitation, labour exploitation and the trafficking of organs, especially for kidneys and ovaries.

Workshop on Human Trafficking by SOLWODI Romania

It was a wonderful occasion, filled with a lot of enthusiasm, joy, happiness and new friendships.

Singing at the National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca

At the end of the meeting we all exclaimed the final greeting:
SEE YOU IN KRAKOW in 2016!

Composed by Sr. Adina Balan, CJ

Posted on July 24th, 2015 By developer

Mayors about Climate Change, Human Trafficking and Sustainable Development

Vatican Hosts Mayors of World Cities, 21st – 22nd July, 2015
Mayors from around the world were invited to gather at the Vatican as guests of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. They discussed how their respective cities can help contribute solutions to the growing concerns for Climate Change, Human Trafficking and Sustainable Development.
Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Academy, said the climate crisis and modern slavery were ‘interconnected emergencies’ stating that: “although the poor and the excluded have the least effect on climate change… they are the most exposed to the terrible threat posed by human-induced climate disruption.”
For full details on the Conference, see: www.news.va

Adapted & compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 22nd, 2015 By developer

Round Table Discussion in Brussels: The New EU Agenda on Migration

The Centre for European and International Policy Action (CEIPA) held a round-table discussion on ‘The new EU Agenda on Migration: challenges and opportunities.’
A copy of CEIPAs proposal for the establishment of a European Agency for Resettlement and Migration Management was issued to all present and is available here: Observations and Suggestions for EU Policy Makers

Ms. Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person, attended on behalf of RENATE Network.
The event was an open forum for opinion leaders, experts, academics and civil society to discuss and re-think the paradigms of short-term responses versus long-term strategies in migration management in light of the complexity of the new EU strategic approach adopted by the European Commission.
Full Report available here:
Report on the CEIPA Round Table Discussion_Brussels_30 June 2015

Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 21st, 2015 By developer

Posted on July 2nd, 2015 By developer

Report from RENATE Training in Spain

‘’Working together against human trafficking…’’
Thus, Sr. Imelda began with a welcome to the thirty two delegates gathered at the Congregation of the Adorer’s in Madrid, Spain, to begin RENATE training in Interventions and Integration of Victims of Trafficking in Human beings for Sexual Exploitation, 31^st May – 5^th June.
Reminded of RENATE Network joint mission, working together against human trafficking, Sr. Imelda gave an overview of the growth of RENATE from its beginnings, when it was officially launched in Trzebinia, Poland, September 2011.
Informed by Gospel values, Sr. Imelda referenced the consistent building up of activities of RENATE in establishing a pro-active network of members through Common Campaigns; Board meetings in Croatia, Versailles and Albania; Training events in critical areas such as the Social Teaching of the Church, Working with Social Media and training in Labour Trafficking in Albania, November 2014. Additionally, RENATE has been represented at various international gatherings such as ANDANTE in Latvia and at Katholikentag in Germany. RENATE has also found a place at EU meetings, such as the Civil Society Platform, uniting with groups working against human trafficking.
Building a network across Europe is becoming easier as a result of strategic alliances with UISG (Union of International Superiors General – Rome) under the umbrella of Talitha Kum.
Imelda shared a highlight of the past year (2015) when she spoke of the attendance of five young representatives at the Vatican Youth Conference against Trafficking. She stressed the influence that gathering had on them as they commit to making a difference in the lives of victims of human trafficking and exploitation.
In building such capacity, Sr. Imelda spoke of the latest and most significant undertaking by RENATE, namely an exercise in Mapping of Trafficking across Europe, with particular reference to RENATE, which is due to be launched in the Autumn and likely to be followed by the launch of the currently created RENATE film ‘Yes we can.’
Sr. Imelda emphasised the directive of the recent RENATE Working Board meeting in Albania (9 – 16March, 2015), that at all times it brings the voice of the victim to the fore and members are mindful in thoughts, deeds and actions, seeking to bring an end to human trafficking.
She thanked graciously, all those who came for the training event, all those who prepared for it, especially Amaranta Fundación de Solidaridad – the team that prepared the training programme for the week.
Imelda encouraged active engagement of the participants, and emphasised the importance of taking time to get to know each other better, to laugh, to learn and to make the most of the ‘sacred space’ created for the training in Madrid.
(…)
Click on the link below to access full report written by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person:
2015.06_RENATE Training Minutes – ES Madrid 31 May – 5 June 2015

Month: July 2015