Online Webinar via ZOOM:- Presentation of Findings of the ODIHR and UN Women Policy Survey Reports and Recommendations “Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic”

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) jointly with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) will present the key findings of the global survey of survivors of trafficking and frontline stakeholders.

The results were instrumental in developing the policy recommendations report on “Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic”, which provides guidance to States to ensure the implementation of a human rights-based, gender-sensitive, trauma-informed and victim-centred approach to human trafficking during and post COVID-19 pandemic.

Time.

Tuesday Jul 21, 2020 06:00 PM in Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna

To join, please register at:

https://unwomen.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L74ztCD4R2Kgvtd3aF_W_A

GRETA Guidance Note on the entitlement of victims of trafficking and persons at risk of being trafficked, to international protection.

The guide is intended to help national authorities and other organisations dealing with trafficking victims, or people at risk, to help make sure that no-one should be forced to return to their home country if it is not safe for them to do so. It sets out the legal bases under international and European law – including the European Convention on Human Rights and the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking convention – for destination countries to allow trafficked people to remain.

The guide also stresses the principle that victims of trafficking should not be punished for crimes that they were forced to commit and sets out the legal basis for assistance to be provided to victims, notably calling on countries to be particularly sensitive to the needs of child victims of trafficking. In addition, the guidance emphasises the need for risk assessments in order to prevent victims of trafficking being returned to the country where they first applied for asylum, under the Dublin Regulation, but where they face the risk of being re-trafficked.

Full report at: https://re.coe.int/guidance-note-on-the-entitlement-of-viictims-of-trafficking-and-persons/16809ebf44

Cambridge Centre for Applied Research in Human Trafficking- Symposium July 2020.

RENATE President, Imelda Poole, IBVM, reports on the success of this year’s Symposium, which took place 29 June – 3 July 2020, via virtual platforms due to COVID-19.

Rev Dr Carrie  Pemberton Ford, Director,  Cambridge Centre for Applied Research in Human Trafficking (CCARHT), delivers a Symposium on Human Trafficking and Exploitation, where keynote speakers and researchers share their wisdom and experience with the symposium delegates, in order to encourage active participation and action to combat the crime of human trafficking and exploitation.

The five days of reflective practice and knowledge sharing, saw fulsome engagement on the part of both the speakers and participants as they covered the areas of  Human Trafficking and Climate; Education & Gender Equality; Children and Cyber; Decent Work and Partnerships and the SDG’s.

The major environmental challenges of our times informed dialogue on the impacts of same on populations worldwide, with specific reference to ability to sustain life, necessity to leave ones county for work and associated vulnerabilities relating to travel, money, language capacity and skills set.

The impact of global terrorism, displacement and also the inability to move around freely was of particular concern at the Symposium.

The impact of unplanned urban growth in developing countries gave rise to identification of critical concerns for both the immediate and long-term futures of societies in such areas.

Of particular focus during the Symposium was the ever increasing extent and complexity of human trafficking, involving highly organised criminalised human trafficking gangs. European trafficking gangs appear to have now taken over the rings in Africa, where JUJU is still used to force women to be bonded by ritualised actions and if they short fall, the victims are trapped into actual enforced slavery.

In the increasing use of technology, especially during current time of COVID-19, Kevin Hyland, emphasised the importance of ensuring children are advised and protected as an essential step in human trafficking prevention.  He called for new laws to control the internet highways, which is going to be challenging for internet companies as well as regulators.

For reports on the Symposium: www.ccarht.org

Church acts on modern-day slavery during lockdown.

In this week’s edition of The Tablet, Ellen Teague writes an informative and affirming feature on the anti-human trafficking work of faith-based organisations, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Medaille Trust, founded by religious in 2006, provides support and shelter to human trafficking victims of all faiths and none, by means of a network of nine safe houses across the UK.

The feature includes reference to RENATE President Imelda Poole’s input at the webinar organised by the UK and US Ambassadors to the Holy See, Women Religious on the Frontlines, where Imelda spoke about seeing the occurrence of three shifts in Europe since COVID-19 restrictions have been implemented:

1. Increase in hunger.
2. Increased provision of counselling via online platforms.
3. Increased numbers of children surfing the web, unsupervised, with an emergent increase in sexual exploitation of that demographic.

The full article: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/13133/church-acts-on-modern-day-slavery-during-lockdown

Tune in to Newstalk 106 – 108FM www.newstalk.com this Sunday 5th July at 07:00 (UK time) and again on Saturday 11th July at 21:00 (UK time) to hear the documentary, Do Disturb, which looks at the global issue of Human Trafficking, also known as modern day slavery.

Patricia Baker, of Curious Broadcast (www.curiousbroadcast.com ) who recorded the broadcast, shares that

‘’Halfway through making this documentary our worlds changed dramatically with the impact of COVID-19.  As I continued to make the documentary, I became increasingly aware of how the world of those trafficked, the people existing as modern day slaves, was now sinking further into the darkness. 

When I first heard the statistics – over 40 million adults and children are currently enslaved worldwide –  I could not comprehend it. I felt shame when I realised that Ireland was far from immune from this global catastrophe. Do Disturb looks at the importance of increasing public awareness and understanding of Human Trafficking, and hears from an Irish charity MECPATHS ( Mercy Efforts for Child Protection Against Trafficking with the Hospitality Sector) that are working alongside the hospitality sector to bring awareness to this issue.

MECPATHS Ireland was co-founded by RENATE member, Mary Ryan, RSM and employs RENATE members JP O Sullivan & Ms. Ann Mara.

A link to the podcast will be available after the broadcast.   

The documentary maker can be contacted at patricia@curiousbroadcast.com

Haven of Light June 2020 Modern Slavery _ Human Trafficking Update June 2020.