On 31 July, 2017, the International Consultation Group for Justice, Corruption, Organised Crime and Mafias, (ICG), sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, published a document reminding us of our ‘moral obligation’ to fight corruption in all its forms and to have a conscience about such matters. The text of the document is published in English by Radio Vatican .
The awakening of consciences.
The prefect of this Dicastery, Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, is the author of a recent book on corruption prefaced by Pope Francis that suggests the possibility of defeating corruption by means of a ‘new humanism,’ stating:
“A movement, an awakening of conscience is necessary. That’s our primary motivation, which we perceive as a moral obligation. The laws are necessary but insufficient. Action needs to be taken at three levels: education, culture and citizenship. In order to fight these phenomena, we need to act courageously and create awareness, in spite of the indifference that is widespread about the seriousness of these phenomena.’’
In February 2018, an intention of prayer will be: that those who have a physical, political or spiritual power do not slide towards corruption. Please the link below for more:
International Debate on Corruption- A Plan to stimulate conscience Anti-Corruption objectives of the Vatican, for 2018.

According to research recently published by the Alliance8.7 (comprising the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, (IOM), in 2016 more than 40. 3 million women, men and children globally, were victims of modern slavery. Of these people, 24.9 million were in forced labour and 15.4 million were in forced marriage.
The 2017 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery and Child Labour are presented as a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular to Target 8.7, which calls for effective measures to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking as well as child labour in all its forms.
A series of matrices and statistical data is presented in both publications and summarised in the following link: 2017 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery and Child Labour.
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person. 
  

UK independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, H.E. Kevin Hyland, OBE has called for tighter regulation of the nail-bar industry in the UK, in an effort to address the exploitation of girls and women trafficked from Vietnam.
Citing a report commissioned by his office to highlight the criminality in this area, ‘’Combating modern slavery experienced by Vietnamese nationals en route to and within, the UK,’’ Vietnam consistently ranks as one of the top three source-countries for potential victims of modern slavery in Britain.
While most of the victims trafficked from Vietnam are exploited for labour purposes in cannabis cultivation and nail bars, many are sexually exploited. Data suggests that over half of the victims are children.
You can access the full report at:
http://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/news-insights/exclusive-report-on-combating-modern-slavery-experienced-by-vietnamese-nationals/
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.

Legislation that is open to interpretation, has led to a complex and unjust situation for migrant workers in the fashion sector in California. Unable to secure status, many workers accept less than the minimum wage and work in pitiful conditions, to manufacture trendy clothing that retails at exorbitant prices.
 
In an article in the Los Angeles Times of 31 August, 2017, Natalie Kitroeff and Victoria Kim write that ‘’…sweatshop wages are the hidden cost of the bargains that make …stores impossible to resist.’’  
In our demand for cheap clothes, cheap shoes and cheap goods, we overlook the harsh reality of life for those slaving away for little or no wages, in order to feed our consumption.
For more on that reality, please see: http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-forever-21-factory-workers/
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 

The Scottish government has launched a new awareness campaign to challenge the perception that human trafficking is confined to Scotland’s major towns and cities.
Even the most remote and rural areas of Scotland, are not exempt from trafficking, as indicated by recently published information from the Scottish government, identifying areas in the country where victims of trafficking had been located over the past five years. The information illustrates how close to home the issue can be.
All of Scotland’s major cities feature on the list, alongside smaller towns.
Justice secretary Michael Matheson said human trafficking was “an appalling abuse of human rights”.
Research published earlier in 2017 showed that 54% of people did not think it was an issue in their local area, but victims have been identified in 27 out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities over the last five years.
For more: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-41075042
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 

E-Bulletin No. 13.    September 2017.
Dear friends,
Imelda Poole, IBVM, RENATE President wishes to bring the following opportunity to your attention.
As RENATE is one of the Porticus partner organisations, an opportunity has arisen whereby you can apply to participate in the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy Regional Programme 2017/2018. But you need to act quickly as time is brief!
For a selection of the respective workshops as well as the opportunity to register, please click here:
 https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=163
It is likely that you will have to register to the moodle-platform first of all, if you don’t already have an existing account.
As the registration is already open, you need to act quickly to select one or more of the workshops.
Please be careful to only apply for a course in which you have a real interest, as course-places are at a premium.
Information is available in several local languages, as follows:
Further information in Czech: https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=166
Further information in German: https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=164
Further information in Hungarian: https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=169
Further information in Romanian: https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=167
Further information in Serbian: https://moodle.ngoacademy.at/course/view.php?id=165
We hope that you can avail of this valuable opportunity.  
With every good wish,
Anne.
RENATE Communications Person.

E-Bulletin No. 12.    September 2017.
‘’Dear Sisters:
It is a pleasure for me to invite you to our Anniversary party on September 19th. We will celebrate 10 years of the AMARANTA SOLIDARITY FOUNDATION, on a path that did not start here, but began with the our congregation.
We want this to be a space of thanksgiving for this congregational initiative to respond to the realities of exclusion, violence and lack of rights for women, in a world of ever-changing structures. Ten years of searching for a new way of being in society as Sister Adorers.
The illusion of taking the history and the life of Micaela very far has encouraged us. We have tried to learn from their passion and courage “for them everything is little done to me”. So step by step we have reached this time.
WOMEN WHO NEVER GIVE UP, was the motto we gave to our Foundation. Sisters Adorers on the way and walking. Without pause.
For all this I invite you to be present, physically, mentally or spiritually, in any way you can. Yes, have us in your heart and in your prayers. 
We wait for you. An affectionate hug.
 Pilar Casas Navarro.’’