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Continue reading “"UN.Gift Box’’ anti-human trafficking campaign in Albania, 2016.” »
"UN.Gift Box’’ anti-human trafficking campaign in Albania, 2016.
The UN first launched the Day against Trafficking in Persons on the 30th July, 2014, with the aim of raising awareness worldwide and bring an end to human trafficking.
Around the globe, the UN works with governments and communities to promote this day by means of various events and activities. The most famous of which is the social media campaign #igivehope inviting people to post a photo of a heart formed with your hands, to express your support to end human trafficking.
RENATE at the World Youth day gathering in Poland, is taking the opportunity to educate students and raise awareness amongst youth who are attending ♯the event. Through personal engagement and distribution of information posters and leaflets, RENATE members Adina Balan, CJ, from Romania and Klára- Marie Stráníková, SCSC, from the Czech Republic, are empowering young people through sharing knowledge and information.
The Spanish Conference of Religious, comprising Cáritas Española, Confer, Amaranta- Fundación de Solidaridad, Justicia y Paz and the Fundación Cruz Blanca, have issued a statement denouncing political situations that increase the risk of the vulnerable to falling into the hands of traffickers, as they search for a better life. We are reminded to ask ‘’Where are your brothers? Where are your enslaved sisters?’’ (GN 4, 9).
Full statement is available under ‘’Noticias,’’ at www.confer.es
The Sisters of the Incarnate Word Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office in the United States of America, have prepared a prayer service to help focus our intentions and strengthen our resolve to end human trafficking. To read or print the prayer, please click on the following address http://saccvi.blogspot.pe/2016/07/prayer-service-for-july-30th-world-day.html
In Albania, the UN Gift Box Campaign, will be formally launched and opened by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Elona Gjebrea, at 10.00a.m.on July 30th in union with the Global Campaign during this year’s World Day Against Trafficking. This campaign has been led by a network called ‘’United Response Against Trafficking’’ (URAT), comprised of NGOs: Peace Corps, Different and Equal, IRCA, SHKEJ and Mary Ward Loreto and Religious Congregations: Good Shepherd, The Company of Mary, Little Sisters of Jesus and IBVM(Loreto).
For an overview of how women religious have united to address human trafficking, an article by Anne Victory, HM and Ann Oestreich, IHM, members of US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT), makes for informative reading here
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.
RENATE member, Adina Balan, cj, is accompanying youth from Romania on pilgrimage to the festival and together with another RENATE member Sr. Klara Marie Stranikova, Congregation of Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. Their focus is on raising awareness about human trafficking. Both Adina and Klara Marie intend reaching as many people as possible and have prepared fliers for distribution, to ensure people can be further informed.
For more, please click here to read…
On the 13th July, 2016, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, has told the United Nations the trafficking of children is abominable.’
“While human trafficking always exploits the vulnerable, the trafficking of children and youth exploits those most vulnerable of all, something that not only exposes the evil of trafficking in all its repulsive ugliness but something that likewise makes abundantly clear the urgent call for everyone to rise up to protect children, youth and everyone from those who would enslave and dehumanize them in these ways,” he said.
For the full text of Archbishop Auza’s speech, please click here to read…
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On Saturday 25th June, it was International Seafarers Day. This is an official United Nations international observance day organised by the International Maritime Organisation. The official campaign tagline this year was #AtSeaForAll. The campaign for Sea Farers Day was put together by The Medaille Trust, Apostleship of the Sea, the Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner under the Modern Slavery Partnership for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (MSP).
As part of this day, the MSP asked port workers to look out for signs of modern slavery when dealing with ships docking in Hampshire ports and to report concerns to police. The partnership also wrote to cruise and shipping companies and other companies working within the port who may board ships. Thirty four letters were sent out in total to cruise companies and shipping companies in Hampshire and thirty eight emails. The letter highlighted the Day of the Sea Farer, but it also encouraged companies, as a way to mark the Day of the Seafarer, to support the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Modern Slavery Partnership by signing up to the MSP via the website www.modernslaverypartnership.org.uk. This would enable them to look out for signs of modern slavery when dealing with ships docking in Hampshire ports and to report any concerns to the authorities immediately, so appropriate action can be taken. Please click here for more information…
More than 100 members of the international judiciary, gathered at Casina Pio IV in Rome to attend a Vatican-sponsored summit in the fight against human trafficking.
The numbers of victims of modern-day slavery continues to escalate and it is now estimated that currently, 46 million people worldwide are bought, sold and treated as slaves.
Refugees and persons displaced because of war, terrorism and climate change are most vulnerable to traffickers. An International Organisation for Migration (IOM) survey conducted in March 2016, found that 7.2% of migrants travelling the eastern Mediterranean route reported encounters with human trafficking.
In his introduction to the summit, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PAS), stated: ‘’ The global society needs a new beginning rooted in justice. No instance of justice can tolerate the violence of slavery or of organised crime, and no power must be allowed to corrupt justice…..Judges are called to be fully aware of this challenge, share their experiences an work together to open up new paths of justice and promote human dignity, freedom, responsibility, happiness and peace.’’
In addition to focusing on human trafficking, the summit also concentrated on organised crime, which is considered the main force behind modern day slavery.
The summit can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCKfSnOelq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JoIGujOx8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99UKU1w5RYk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic9XI6dwW2c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnROpP9SX9k
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
17th May, 2016 in St. Blaise Parish hall (Movie Theatre), Zagreb, Croatia.
As modern slavery exists in many guises and is gradually becoming more invisible, initiatives such as multi-media drama are playing a significant role in awareness-raising and helping us understand and assist vulnerable victims.
It is estimated that more than 45 million victims world-wide are without a voice, without representation. Robbed of their dignity, their suffering should not be hidden from us. As part of an awareness-raising campaign against human trafficking and modern slavery, the multi-media drama and forum SEE ME! HEAR ME! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1pJrgowZUs) was showcased in Zagreb recently, to give a voice to the voiceless and alert us to their silent cries. It is a drama where Kathleen Ann Thompson creates a compassionate and striking, surreal portrait of the victims, their traffickers and defenders. Please click here for more information…
Founded by individuals from ten European countries, the Child Protection Hub is a professional community which ‘’…strives for a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for all children.’’ Its implementation partners are:
The Regional Office of Terre des hommes in South-East Europe,
Terre des hommes –Albania & Kosovo,
Save the Children North West Balkans,
Know-how Centre for alternative care for children in Bulgaria,
Brave Phone in Croatia,
Terre des hommes – Moldova, Terre des hommes – Romania,
Centre for Youth Integration in Serbia,
Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS),
The Hub acts as an interactive platform, where professionals can connect and exchange ideas and experiences, share resources and strengthen the community of those who work for the protection of children.
For full details on the Child Protection Hub, see www.childhub.org
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.
OSCE launches innovative project to combat human trafficking along migration routes
On the 17th June 2016, the OSCE launched a ground-breaking capacity-building programme to combat trafficking along migration routes through a series of simulation exercises for 200 regional experts, running from November 2016 to 2018.
The courses are designed for law enforcement officials, prosecutors, labour inspectors, financial investigators, civil society representatives and other regional experts. Three trainings will be held at the Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units’s (CoESPU) state of the art facility in Vicenza, Italy.
‘’In co-operation with the (CoESPU), the OSCE is bringing together all relevant frontline actors from the countries of origin, transit and destination along migration routes, in an innovative, reality-based simulation exercise to enhance their capacity to investigate crime and develop effective referral mechanisms for identifying victims,” Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said.
The project, with an overall budget of 550,000 euros, allows participants to boost their ability to combat human trafficking by working through realistic, expert-developed scenarios that simulate cases of labour and sexual exploitation among migrants, including child victims.
“We are extremely pleased to join hands with our partners at the OSCE on this project,” Tullio Del Sette, General Commander of the Carabinieri said. “Mixed migration flows have increased dramatically in the region, underscoring the demand for such training programs.”
The project receives extra-budgetary support from the governments of Italy, Hungary and Monaco as well as the German Chairmanship.
“This project will uphold values that are at the core of the OSCE’s anti-trafficking efforts, and show that protection and security are not mutually exclusive – criminal law enforcement against traffickers must go hand in hand with victim protection,” Detlef Karioth, Germany’s Special Representative for the Establishment of Refugee-Hotspots in Greece and Italy said. “We are proud to be a part of it.”
RENATE is hopeful that this upskilling programme will enhance victim-identification skills as workers strive to reduce the numbers of trafficked people. It is also hoped that news of this programme will act as a deterrent to the traffickers, who are more likely to be prosecuted as a result.
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.