Anne Kelleher – RENATE Communications Team

 Every year on 25 May, Lithuania and around the world marks the International Day of Missing Children. The day was chosen because of a story that shocked the United States when, on 25 May 1979, six-year-old Ethan Patz disappeared without a trace on his way to school at a bus stop just a couple of blocks from his home. On the initiative of the Missing Persons Families Support Centre, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania added this day to the list of commemorative days in 2006. It is a day not only to remember missing children, but also to remember families who have suffered the terrible loss of a child. The day focuses on the causes of child disappearances around the world, including sexual and physical violence, paedophilia and human trafficking. Lithuania, like 31 European countries, has an international 116 000 hotline for missing children, and was the first Nordic country where the Centre, together with the US Embassy, the Ministry of the Interior, the Lithuanian Police Department and Facebook, launched the Amber Alert Facebook child alert system in Lithuania in 2018. 

According to Missing Children Europe, there is a missing child report every two to three minutes in Europe. In Lithuania, according to the Missing Persons Register, about 2000-2500 cases of disappearance of minors are registered each year. In 2023, 2212 cases of disappearance of children were registered, and in the first quarter of 2024, 570 disappearances of children were registered. It is observed that the main cause of disappearance of children is running away from home or care institutions. Children often run away from problems at home – domestic violence, conflicts, neglect. Children who go missing or run away from home can become easy prey for criminals not only outside the home but also online. It is essential not only to identify the threats to children in good time, but also to provide ongoing prevention efforts involving minors of all ages. In 2023, the Centre organised 25 prevention events in educational establishments, reaching more than 1 200 children studying in Lithuania. From 2024, the Centre has introduced a chat function on www.116000.lt to ensure the widest possible access to help, not only for the relatives of missing children, but also for children who are thinking of running away from home or have already run away. 

On the International Day of Missing Children, we invite parents and their children to visit the sculpture of a lonely girl and touch her hands to bring home all missing children. This tradition of touching the sculpture’s hands started when Pope Francis rubbed the sculpture’s hands and prayed for every missing child to find their way home when he consecrated the sculpture in 2016. 

Brief information about the commemoration on 25 May 2024 is attached. 

Spend at least 5 minutes each day talking to your child, hugging them, feeling for them. By building a secure and trusting relationship, you can prevent your child from disappearing or running away from home. 

More information: 

http://www.116000.lt/institucijoms/ 

Missing persons’ families support centre https://www.missing.lt/ https://www.facebook.com/www.missing.lt 

Contact for enquiries: 

Arūnė Bernatonytė centras2@missing.lt arba +370 670 52 725. 

Director of the Missing Persons Family Support Centre Natalja Kurčinskaja 

In order to bring attention to the issue of “The effect/consequences of wars/war-situations on trafficking and exploitation – esp. for women and children”, the RENATE Europe network held three morning events/webinars online, each of three hours duration, 14-16 May, 2024.

The webinars helped raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking and exploitation specific to areas of conflicts and wars.  Thanks to the first-hand experiences of the presenters who work at grass-roots level in the UKRAINE; South Sudan and Kenya, participants were provided first-hand information about the realities of living and trying to function in areas of conflict, where traffickers ply their trade taking advantage of newly-vulnerable people.

Through the Zoom break-out rooms facility, participants considered the implications and impacts of what they heard each morning, for their own work in prevention, protection and awareness-raising in their own respective countries.  It was particularly helpful to explore possibilities for action on our parts to help & support colleagues at CARITAS Ukraine; the Catholic University, Lviv; HAART Kenya and Loreto Rumbek, South Sudan.  

The perils of conflict extend beyond the bullet & the bomb. There is the equally impactful rendering of vulnerability of people due to risks of confiscation or destruction of their identity documents; labour exploitation; detentions; forced begging; conscription; domestic servitude; forced involvement in criminal activities, to name just a few.

We also learned of the reintegration challenges for those displaced through conflict, who in many cases no longer have a house or employment to return to…finding themselves falling into the hands of traffickers ever-ready to take advantage of the plight of the most vulnerable.   There is also the consideration of the need to support those who source food, medicines, medical equipment and first-aid supplies to help sustain communities impacted by warfare, as explained to us by Olena Mosends (Kulygina) a Communications teacher at the Catholic University, Lviv & experienced journalist, who shared with us her ‘ministry of influence.’

‘’In a country where girls are seen as currency, a woman with four daughters & two sons is seen as ‘blessed.’’’ So said Sr. Orla Treacy, Principal Loreto Secondary School, Rumbek, South Sudan as she gave us in-depth insights into the tribal cultures in existence there and the issue of Child Marriage. Working within that milieu of cultural morés, gender issues and concerns etc., Orla has managed to successfully create an appreciation of the value of including girls access education and remain within the education sphere through to adulthood, securing gainful employment and thereby able to help financially support themselves and their families.

Culturally, the commodification of girls is not limited to south Sudan, and we considered both the similarities and differences across many parts of our world where girls are considered ‘less than’ and bartered for labour exploitation, child-marriages and more.  

It was powerful to hear the first-hand wisdom from Mercy, a human trafficking Survivor Advocate, who together with her colleague Njera, spoke about the importance of building upon those lived experiences. HAART Kenya provided us with a most informative and indeed heartening input, as Njera and Mercy spoke to the topic ‘’Holistic Care: Enabling Victim Transformation, Partnering with Survivors and developing Community Resilience.  Their input which focused on the voice of a survivor, proved to be most uplifting and heartening.  We learned about Survivor Advocates and their crucial role in the efforts to end human trafficking and exploitation. It was especially engaging to learn about the importance of creating employment opportunities  for survivor advocates in the anti-trafficking spaces and the recruitment of survivor advocates for positions in governmental, NGOs and the private sectors.

Areas such as survivor engagement; the ethical Storytelling and the principles of survivor support challenges & recommendations around economic empowerment approaches, were central components of an enlightening presentation.

Their abiding question Where do we find hope?  should be a road-marker for us as we move forward in our mission to end human trafficking and exploitation.

Recordings of the webinars are available on the RENATE YouTube channel:

We are delighted to share the latest from our colleagues at KAVOD as they continue their work in Ukraine.

You are invited to join the AEFJN (Africa Europe Faith & Justice Network) Ireland at 19:00 (UK)/20:00 (CET) via Zoom for a webinar focused on ”Safe Birth 4 All: a Human Rights issue.”

This webinar will focus on expert insight from healthcare professionals and human rights advocates, the physiological and psychosocial impacts of obstetric fistula, the economic and cultural dimensions from a human rights perspective, and how you can take action.

Please visit the webpage mentioned in the flyer to register for the event.

Last month, the RENATE Shelters Task Group met in-person in Eindhoven, to discuss best practices, their shared experiences, and future planning for the task group.

Participants from Albania, Romania, Malta, the UK, Spain and Greece attend the session, both online and in-person, and the prospects for future collaboration are exciting and in full bloom.

Read what Rania, the Shelters Core Group representative, who attended the meeting on behalf of Dar Hosea, Greece, had to say after their meeting:

“We had a great time together, presenting our organizations in depth, discussing about best practices, and shining a light on our challenges as well as our finances. As a group, we were able to come up with some suggestions and solutions moving forward.

We also had the chance to connect with Maria Buckle (Malta) and Anna Ringler (UK) via Zoom.

Now it is time to put all of these things into practice!”

We look forward to the continued working together of the task group and the positive ripple effects it will have on the shelters and safe houses in each of our countries.

A shining example of the RENATE network at work!!

The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published its latest general report of activities on the 29^th April 2024, highlighting the key achievements in 2023.

These include the publication of 11 new country evaluation reports (in respect of Azerbaijan, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) and the launch of the fourth evaluation round of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, with a thematic focus on vulnerabilities to human trafficking.

The report includes a stocktaking of the third evaluation round of the Convention, which focused on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. With this round of evaluation being completed in respect of most of the State Parties to the Convention by the end of 2023, GRETA analyses trends emerging from its country reports, drawing attention to gaps in the implementation of the Convention, as well as promising practices.

GRETA alerts that information is not provided in a manner that takes into account the situation of victims of trafficking and is not always comprehensible to victims. This can be aggravated by the fact that a number of states have problems in ensuring access to qualified and independent interpreters for victims of trafficking.

To access the report, please click here: https://rm.coe.int/13th-general-report-on-greta-activities-covering-the-period-from-1-jan/1680af7268

To read more, click here: https://www.coe.int/en/web/anti-human-trafficking/-/greta-s-2023-annual-report-highlights-the-need-for-strengthening-trafficking-victims-access-to-justice-and-effective-remedies

During Europe Week 2024 in Shiroka Albania, representatives from Shkodra Municipality, NGOs, EU projects, and local artisans joined forces, emphasizing their commitment to progress and unity in Albania.

A significant project discussed was “Consolidation of Victim Empowerment Systems in Albania @ Shkodra (TVESA@Sh)” led by RENATE members within Different and Equal, along with Shkodra Municipality and KMOP – Center for Social Action and Innovation (Greece). This project, funded by the EU Program “Support for Social Inclusion in Albania,” aims to strengthen support for victims in the region.

These collaborative efforts demonstrate a dedication to improving communities, empowering individuals, and promoting social cohesion, aligning with the EU’s vision for an inclusive society. The successful execution of such initiatives represents progress toward social inclusion and sustainable development in Albania.

Congratulations to all involved on such a successful event!

Different & Equal Albania 2

Different & Equal Albania 3

Different & Equal Albania

Different and Equal Albania 4

 

“War and displacement bring with them an increased risk of people being exploited in prostitution and human trafficking. Women and children are at particularly high risk when families are separated as a result of war.’’

(Ms. Anna Ejstedt, Swedish Ambassador against Human Trafficking).

With this in mind & in light of the continuing conflicts and warfare, the RENATE Core group have prepared 3 mornings of excellent input from experienced colleagues who are prepared to help us understand/address/communicate with/make provision for and assist those who have been impacted by conflict and war-situations.

The webinars will run from 08:30-11:30 (UK), 14, 15 & 16 May 2024 focused on the theme: “The effect/consequences of wars/war-situations on trafficking and exploitation – esp. for women and children.”

’War and displacement bring with them an increased risk of people being exploited in prostitution and human trafficking. Women and children are at particularly high risk when families are separated as a result of war.’’ (Ms. Anna Ejstedt, Swedish Ambassador against Human Trafficking).

With this in mind & in light of the continuing conflicts and warfare, the RENATE Core group have prepared 3 mornings of excellent input from experienced colleagues who are prepared to help us understand/address/communicate with/make provision for and assist those who have been impacted by conflict and war-situations.

The webinars will run from 08:30-11:30 (UK), 14, 15 & 16 May 2024 focused on the theme: ’The effect/consequences of wars/war-situations on trafficking and exploitation – esp. for women and children.”

To register to attend the Webinars, please email communications@renate-europe.net

VI Form Letters (2)

VI Form Letters (1)

VI Form Letters

VI Form Letters (3)

 

Receiving over 100 heartfelt letters from the sixth form students at Loreto College, Manchester was nothing short of inspiring. Each message, written to be shared with the victims and survivors of human trafficking, was filled with sincerity and warmth and carried a unique touch that spoke volumes about the compassion and empathy of these young individuals. From words of encouragement to personal anecdotes of overcoming challenges, every letter was a testament to the power of connection and the impact of genuine kindness.

We would like to deeply thank the students of Loreto VI Form College, Manchester UK, for their impactful and heartwarming gesture. 

OSCE Slovakia (3)

OSCE Slovakia (2)

OSCE Slovakia (1)

 

Caritas Slovakia was among the 60 countries actively participating in the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) conference titled “Beyond Awareness-Raising: Reshaping Prevention for the Future.” This significant gathering brought together experts, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world to delve into crucial strategies for combatting human trafficking.

During this conference, our colleagues Silvia Dančová and Eliška Koťuchová had the invaluable opportunity to engage with leading experts and gain cutting-edge insights into the most effective methods for combating trafficking in human beings. They participated in workshops, panel discussions, and interactive sessions designed to foster collaboration and share best practices.

Link  to OSCE official video: https://fb.watch/rC1hr-wRur/