The June issue of the STOP Trafficking Newsletter places the spotlight on the story of Survivors, in order that we may learn. The issue highlights issues affecting trafficked persons and what they see as helpful in their journey towards healing.

The stories range from experiences at the hands of traffickers to abuse perpetrated by family members who sold their relatives for the purposes of sexual exploitation. And while none of the stories are easy to read, each one offers insights into how best to work with and support survivors of Human Trafficking. Each story gives cause for hope.

The following are the component aspects of the Newsletter:

A victim remembers; A victim finds help; A victim struggles to overcome;

The role of Professionals in addressing the needs of Women Suffering Oppression.

Survivors contribute to Programme effectiveness; An outline of the Complex Experience care Model (CECM); Trafficked survivors identify what was helpful in their transitions;

Trafficked survivors identify what more they needed in their transitions; A series of book reviews and information websites.

Download the Newsletter at: http://www.stopenslavement.org/

Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

The inaugural SDG Gender Index, developed by the Equal Measures 2030partnership, found that 2.8 billion women and girls currently live in countries that are not doing enough to improve women’s lives.

The index, launched at the Women Deliver conference in Vancouver, will be updated in 2021 and at regular intervals until the 2030 SDG deadline. Data is drawn from UN agencies, the World Bank, NGOs, thinktanks and from the consultancy firm Gallup.

Europe and North American countries topped the index, while the bottom was dominated by African states. With just 11 years to go until 2030, nearly 40% of the world’s girls and women – 1.4 billion – live in countries failing on gender equality.

Of particular concern for those involved in compiling the index was that more than half of countries scored poorly on efforts to achieve SDG 5, the much lobbied-for standalone goal to end gender inequality and empower women. The goal contains specific targets to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, end female genital mutilation and child marriage, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, and uphold women’s reproductive rights.

Equal Measures 2030 is a partnership of civil society and the private sector, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the International Women’s Health Coalition, KPMG, Femnet, Plan International and Women Deliver. It was set up in 2016 to provide women’s rights advocates with the data they need to hold governments to account for their SDG commitments.

Download the full report at : https://data.em2030.org/2019-global-report/

Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

In its International Annual Report, 2017 – 2018, the Australian Red Cross International present an overview of the issue of Forced Marriage, the contributing factors to this continuing phenomenon and the strategies young women use to avoid forced marriages. The findings are equally applicable to Europe and elsewhere.

The report finds that pressure on families is a driver of forced  marriages, a factor directly applicable across the Roma culture in Europe. Additional applicable factors include (1) inter-generational conflict which plays a significant role in causing relationship breakdown and (2)lack of communication about expectations before marriage.

Drawing on information, opinions and advice, key messages and recommendations emerging from community learnings are as follows:

1. Educate and empower young people, parents and religious leaders.
2. Nurture collaboration between community and service provision sector to strengthen identification and responses .
3. Engage the whole family so as to increase opportunities to keep families together.

Across many communities, there are members are applying appropriate and effective strategies to negotiate good outcomes and find solutions to this issue. When explored, understood and strengthened, these community-led strategies and approaches have the potential to support and strengthen broader government and sector initiatives and create a space for s stronger and more inclusive response.

Full report available at www.ecpat.org

Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

This past week has seen the official opening of the Mary ward Loreto Advice and Service Centre in Tirana, Albania, launched by Garry Smith, CEO of the Medaille Trust in the UK.

This is the latest partnership project between Medaille and the MWL Foundation in Albania. The centre gives advice and support to those who are the most vulnerable and at risk of being trafficked in the Albanian capital.

Medaille and Mary Ward Loreto have been working in partnership since 2013, as the Medaille Trust realised the need to support those who are victims of modern slavery in Albania and help to prevent trafficking from countries of origin. Albania is the UK’s biggest source-country of adult victims of modern slavery – in 2018 730 of the 3,856 adult victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism were Albanians (18.9%).

Since 2014, Mary Ward Loreto have provided counselling via SKYPE to Albanian victims in Medaille safe houses in the UK.

The Medaille Trust and MWL, however, are not resting on their laurels. They spent some time together discussing the latest trends and how to continue to work in partnership to support the many efforts being made to prevent people being trafficked from Albania into the U.K.

Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

At the invitation of its German member Solwodi, CAP (Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution)  International hosted its 3rd World Congress in Germany (2-5 April, 2019), a country currently known as “the brothel of Europe”. During the event, German and international abolitionist organisations launched the “Mainzer Erklärung”, an open letter asking German legislators to abolish the prostitution system in Germany and to adopt the Equality Model.

Watch the video of excerpts from the Congress:

https://cap-international.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1e9a5d8a0e3242170e838c6fa&id=861b693ccc&e=8c919d6d82

 Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

Featured are some examples of art-work created by women participating in art-therapy sessions with a voluntary Art-Therapist student at one of the Medaille Trust Safe Houses in the UK, for whom the Trust is appreciative.

Through the art-therapy sessions, the Trust’s clients have been able to express and explore their experiences. The Trust share that the women have used the sessions to not only depict their journeys but also their hopes for the future.

In the picture depicting the candle with the red cross, the client describes the pillar and the red cross as symbolizing her pain and imprisonment during her trafficking. the flame is the light of the police and ambulance when they rescued her, burning away those who had hurt her. The yellow background with the red and green vines symbolise her current state, where she feels safe, happy and free to flourish.

RENATE are grateful to the Medaille Trust for sharing this insight and hope that other members of RENATE might share examples of their respective art-therapy programmes, with a view to showcasing some of the works on the RENATE website, with the permission of the artists.

Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

Following from the first RENATE Country group meeting in Albania in early April, a particular outcome was the suggestion of the possibilities of training for members in the area of Public Relations and specifically in connection with devising reports and other instruments.

In this regard our colleagues at the Arise Foundation- already known to many of us because of their ongoing generous support to Religious working to combat Human Trafficking- will offer training on the topic “Reporting and Effective Communication of NGOs,” supported by Renata.

The training takes place at the Sarajevo Hotel, Kosovo, on 27 June next and runs from 09:00 a.m. to 16:00. Jess Templeman, Head of Programmes and Training at the ARISE Foundation, will facilitate the day.

Training will be conducted in English. For members who have difficulties in this language, simultaneous translation will be provided.

For more on the ARISE Foundation: https://www.arise.foundation/

RENATE colleagues at Psycho-Social Center ‘VATRA,’ Albania, share news of the success of their anti-human trafficking awareness-raising Forum with the students at Himara High school , on the topic of ‘Information on the phenomenon of Human Trafficking: Prevention and identification mechanisms as well as work on the reintegration of victims who have survived trafficking.’

Through active participation and discussions, students not only gained knowledge and insights, they also appreciated how education plays an important part in ensuring youth are less vulnerable to traffickers. The ability to gain employment and be self-supporting is a significant safety to reducing vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.

These successful forums will continue in September, 2019 in the districts of Fier, Vlora, Berat, Gjirokastra and Saranda.

This is an initiative under the ‘’Youth Engagement in Action for the Prevention of Human Trafficking,’ funded by the small grants programme at the United States Embassy in Tirana, Albania.

More at : www.qendravatra.org.al

A number of online courses are available, which focus on each of the Sustainable Development Goals. The courses are free of charge and are brief in duration, from four to six weeks on average.

17 universities worldwide have worked to create an initiative to educate learners about the SDGs and how they can contribute to achieving them. Coursera is the primary platform where these courses are offered for the general public in the form of online classes with the hope of increasing participation in the work being done towards these goals. The courses often provide a hands-on experience with an NGO or international organization who is working to achieve the SDGs through their work. The participating universities hope to offer a global education on these goals and ways to get involved.

As far as RENATE is concerned, each SDG is relevant, both directly and indirectly. It may be helpful to avail of these courses by way of information and upskilling in preparation for the forthcoming RENATE Assembly at Fátima, Portugal in 20121.

More at: https://www.humanrightscareers.com/un-sustainable-development-goals-courses/

Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.