Stowarzyszenie PoMOC

We wtorek 22 marca odwiedziła nas Catherine współpracująca z Exodus Cry.

Exodus Cry to amerykańska organizacja, która postanowiła wesprzeć Stowarzyszenie PoMOC, w związku z rosnącą ilością uchodźców z Ukrainy na terytorium Polski i zagrożeniem wykorzystania ich przez handlarzy ludźmi. Sama organizacja, podobnie jak my, na co dzień zajmuje się walką z handlem ludźmi oraz pomaga ofiarom komercyjnego wykorzystywania seksualnego. 

Dzięki zrzutce zorganizowanej przez Exodus Cry będziemy w stanie pokryć koszty lekcji języka polskiego dla naszych gości z Ukrainy, a także inne wydatki związane z udzielaną im pomocą.

Serdecznie dziękujemy Exodus Cry za wsparcie, oraz Catherine za odwiedziny. Zapraszamy ponownie 

On Tuesday, March 22, Catherine working with Exodus Cry visited us.

Exodus Cry is an American organization that decided to support the Polish Migrants Organization for Change (PoMOC) Association due to the growing number of refugees from Ukraine on Polish territory and the threat of their use by human traffickers. The organization itself, just like us, deals with the fight against trafficking in human beings and helps victims of commercial sexual abuse.

Thanks to the action organized by Exodus Cry, we will be able to cover the costs of Polish language lessons for our guests from Ukraine, as well as other expenses related to the assistance provided.

We sincerely thank Exodus Cry for their support and Catherine for visiting us.

To learn more or make contact, please visit the PoMOC website here.

We look forward to hearing from Imelda Poole, who will be interviewed on the BBC World Service’s Heart and Soul programme this Sunday 27th March at 10:30GMT.

Sister Imelda will speak about the 16 year-long battle she and others have fought against Human Trafficking since the beginning of her work in Albania. 

The programme will also meet some of those rescued and hear their stories first hand.

Please note that on Sunday 27th March the clocks go forwards by 1 hour in the UK for daylight saving time.

The programme can be listened to live online at BBC Sounds

Anti-trafficking organization European Freedom Network has published the following practical advice for persons who are seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, to ensure their safety while they are still in transit or recently arrived at their destination of sanctuary.

At a time when so many ordinary people are extending hospitality for displaced people, it is important to take precautions. The present situation could also present an oppurtunity for those with criminal intent to take advantage of people in vulnerable circumstances.

If you are reading this while on the move, or having recently left your home in search of safety, the European Freedom Network warns that not everyone you encounter may have good intentions. While accepting help from strangers may be necessary depending on your circumstances, the following actions will help protect you from the few who intend to do harm:

1. Protect your identification and don’t relinquish or give your documents to anyone – even for safe keeping. Keep them with you at all times
2. Don’t give your personal phone to anyone
3. Wherever you are, register with the local authority or local organisation databases. When travelling with someone you don’t know, please take a photo of the person and the vehicle and send it to someone you know and trust
4. If you choose to stay somewhere other than the accommodation provided for you by non-governmental organizations, churches or associations, please make certain you notify the local authorities and advise them as to where you will be staying
5. In case of an emergency, suspicious person or concern, please immediately notify the nearest police station or local authorities.

Please also see at the bottom of the below brochure, the list of anti-trafficking community contacts for 7 nearby European countries, verified by the European Freedom Network.

The European Young Bar Association (EYBA), a non-profit association of young legal professionals, has assembled a task force of pro bono lawyers dedicated to offering assistance to Ukrainian citizens and other persons fleeing Ukraine.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military in February, more than two million refugees have fled the country. Although heartening scenes of generosity and hospitality have been demonstrated by neighbouring Poland and many other nearby countries receiving displaced persons across their borders, much work is needed to help these people gain a footing in the processes of claiming asylum and become better-established in their new communities.

The multinational task force is made up of lawyers practicing in several of the European countries receiving the highest volumes of refugees. Collectively, they muster expertise in these respective countries’ separate legal systems in migration law, human  rights and refugee law. These experts are offering free advice and assistance in collating documentation to help refugees navigate their rights and processes of asylum within their countries of refuge.

EYBA have published a directory of contacts for the task force, which can be found here.

A delegation of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Greece last month, as they assess the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.

In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited shelters for victims of human trafficking, including RENATE’s partner organization in Athens, Community House Damaris.

Pictured: two Greta Experts posing with CHD’s

Program Coordinator and CHD’s Development Coordinator).

In light of the sudden dispersement of more than two million people fleeing as refugees from the war in Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has published a series of recommendations for anti-trafficking prevention measures.

The recommendations are directed towards the governments of OSCE-participating States to take action to ensure the safety of refugees from traffickers. They highlight the increased vulnerability of the large numbers of persons in transit, mostly who are women and children, to become victims of human trafficking for criminal purposes such as sexual and labour exploitation. As well as immediate measures, the document foresees and addresses longer-term challenges such as integration of displaced people into destination communities, which the OSCE seeks to help governments to tackle.

The recommendations can be read or downloaded HERE in the OSCE’s online library of resources.

Improving the Response to Child Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT)

This online forum is intended to support front-line professionals who 

might encounter child victims of MSHT in the course of their work 

and/or have responsibilities to ensure their well-being.

It offers front-line professionals the opportunity to access insights from the work of ECPATUK and the IASC on child trafficking in the UK in 2021,  highlighting key elements of their snapshot report including policy developments, promising practice to safeguard and support children and recommendations for the future.

It also introduces professionals to the role paediatricians can play in addressing child MSHT, based on the guidance prepared by Dr Laura Wood and Dr Sarah Boutros for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Finally, it highlights the knowledge and skills professionals need in order to prevent, support and care for child victims of trafficking and modern slavery, with reference to the new Skills for Care and Development Child Training Framework. 

This on-line forum is also intended for those who are interested in improving their understanding of child modern slavery and trafficking and best practice.

Please register in advance for this event: 

https://stmarys.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpcOyvqz4uH9W39tRb0H dYQ8RwTYf0VN0z 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing  information about joining the event. For further information please  contact Ruth Van Dyke at ruth.vandyke@stmarys.ac.uk or Anta Brachou  at anta.brachou@stmarys.ac.uk .

Article source: OSCE press release

WARSAW, 7 March 2022 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is alarmed that more than 1.7 million people have already fled Ukraine as a consequence of the Russian Federation’s military attack, with many others still trying to find safety by crossing international borders or moving inside the country. An increasing number of civilians are falling victim to what appears to be the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in residential areas, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law.

“Safeguarding civilian lives during a military attack is an obligation that must be met unreservedly and without delay. It is vital that safe passage is guaranteed to all civilians in need of protection, in line with the commitments made by every OSCE country, as well as the norms of international law,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “Failing to ensure safe passage for those in need will continue to cause immense suffering to innocent people.”

Due to the present crisis, hundreds of thousands of civilians are unable to move to safety or seek international protection. Particularly those in vulnerable situations such as the elderly, children, or people with disabilities, require particular attention and assistance to reach safety.

ODIHR applauds the steps taken by many countries to open their borders to assist people fleeing Ukraine. Recognizing the immense challenge of dealing with a mass movement of this kind, more efforts and coordination are still needed. It is also crucial that such assistance is provided effectively and without discrimination to all those who need it, and to observe all obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

All countries of the OSCE have recognized that the rights of people at risk of displacement or already affected by it “need to be effectively protected in all phases of the conflict cycle” (Vilnius 2011). OSCE countries have also committed to “promote dignified treatment of all individuals wanting to cross borders, in conformity with relevant national legal frameworks, international law, in particular human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law” (Ljubljana 2005).