The Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) released on Tuesday, 27^th June, highlights the successes achieved in the fight against human trafficking and also highlights the continuing challenges facing the world, as the crime against humanity continues to flourish. Sobering statistics are cited, for example, with more than 20 million estimated trafficking victims worldwide, there have been less than 15,000 prosecutions in 2016 and 10,000 convictions reported by governments.
This year’s report places special emphasis on the importance of criminal prosecutions, not only as a deterrent to criminals but also as a testimony to survivors, that they matter. Countries are encouraged not only to increase the number of prosecutions but also to prescribe and impose sentences of such severity that they will deter others from engaging in human trafficking and exploitation.
Working closely with survivors was identified as being of significant importance, especially in trials to bring criminals to justice.
Governments worldwide are called to strengthen protections for victims, especially so that they are not penalised for crimes they had to commit as a direct result of human trafficking. There is also the recommendation that any criminal records attached to a victim for crimes committed during trafficking, be erased. The emphasis is on helping survivors secure the justice they deserve and return to a life of dignity and free will.
Full report available at https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2017/
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.

 
At the invitation of and as part of the delegation of Andante, which has participatory status at the Council of Europe that RENATE are hoping to achieve, Marie Hélène Halligon, OLCGS RENATE Core group member, represented RENATE at the June meetings of the Council.  Both days were very full and interesting. On the 27^th of June, Marie Helene attended two working groups, the first one considered Poverty and Social Rights, while the second working group focused on Migration to Europe and the Mediterranean crisis. 
On the second day, the following topics were considered: Gender and Political Processes, Women mobilization in Europe and its impact in politics; Culture and Education Commission. The two-day meeting concluded with a welcome extended to the new NGOs.
Marie Hélène’s attended both days together with Dr. Mary McHugh, President of Andante and Sybille Bader, Andante’s permanent representative to the Council of Europe.
‘’ Marie-Helene has worked well with us and we have enjoyed her contribution to our delegation. This partnership can work well for the benefit of both RENATE and Andante,’’ said Mary.
RENATE is excited at this first step towards gaining full Council registration in the future.
More from Marie Hélène soon.
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person. 
 

Fr. Shay Cullen, a member of the Irish Missionary Society of St. Columban and founder of The Preda Foundation since 1975, reflects upon the successes gained in the fight against child abuse by means of the World Wide Web.
Nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize, Fr.Cullen, 72, has worked protecting women and children from sex slavery and promoting human rights, peace and non-violence in the Philippines since 1969.
Full article at: Success Against the Child Abusers Online- Fr. Shay Cullen.
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 

• The definition – complex – of corruption and education issues to try to change attitudes, focusing on young people.
• What commitment of the Church, and with whom? Common good vs. individualism
• Who is corrupt? “It’s not me, it’s the other” (Testimony of a “survivor”)

Many avenues have been opened:

• Exchange of “best practices”
• Choose, because you cannot do everything
• Help justice do its job
• Cooperate with ALL, as this problem affects all of humanity
• Open eyes through art, including cinema, images … that captivate young people
• Make the Catholic Schools a concrete anti-corruption field by encouraging pupils’ expression on any form of abuse, so that they can experience concretely that corruption can be tackled, otherwise they may not realize exactly what is being discussed.
• The journey must start from the heart.

Conclusions by Bishop Thomasi:

1. Prepare a definition of corruption (practical and useful)
2. Indicate the consequences of corruption (on development, poverty, trust between people …)
3. Importance of Prevention.
4. The need for a new legal framework, to recall the tools to combat corruption at international level. Implement existing global tools at the level of States.
5. The place of change is the heart. Changing mentalities through education, participation of the Church to counter corruption. Achieve the integral development of human dignity. There are 55 million young people in Catholic schools and universities in the world who are taught respect … The Church, an educational agent, must work with all those in society who want to fight and eliminate corruption. The MDGs are a universal tool for the ethical efforts of all.

A draft document will be sent to all. Suggestions will be welcome.
Edited by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.
 
 

 
This week, June 18th, we have been in Rome representing RENATE along with 6 continental/regional coordinators of Talitha Kum in a working group facilitated by Pat Murray IBVM, the General Secretary of UISG and with Gabriella Bottani the Director of Talitha Kum. During this week, we have circled the globe looking at how effective the growing global network of Religious women and co-workers is in this desire to combat human trafficking.
We are looking more closely at the links between this global pandemic and the massive phenomena of the migration and refugee flows around the world.
We have become linked with the newly reconstructed major Papal commissions related to JPIC such as the Refugee and Migration Council, the Laity and Women’s Council and Caritas Internationalis. 
Good communication and the sharing of information and best practice has been the hallmark of the week. The constant challenges in the work have been shared and guidelines have been written as the means for all protagonists to ensure immediate communication and transfer of information for fruitful outcomes in the work.
We try so many new ways of developing strong networking and to help our work to become a little more effective.
At present on a lighter note, as I write this short report, I am sitting in a coffee bar after early morning Mass at The Gesu. You were all remembered. Our meetings for the week have been at the offices of UISG on Ponte Angelico overlooking the Tiber and the Colosseum. It is all very beautiful and very hot! 
Imelda.
23 June 2017.

 
In Lithuania, there is a growing understanding in society that Human trafficking is both a local and a a global issue. Kristina Misieniene from The Centre Against Human Trafficking and Exploitation and Sr. Dalia Verbyle SJE, as RENATE members, were interviewed about this problem on Mary’s Radio in Lithuania, during the broadcast called “Topicalities.” 
Sr. Dalia presented the biblical theme of leaving slavery, citing two examples, one of Moses being sent by God: “Go and save your own people!” and another example being Mary and her Great Magnificat as a hymn of freedom. Pope Francis’ message was also referenced: “No more slaves, just sisters and brothers!”  Sr. Dalia spoke about RENATE, as a Religious Network in Europe working against Human Trafficking and Exploitation, continuing the work of God in the contemporary, modern world.
Kristina emphasised some practical issues encountered by those working with human trafficking in Lithunia, examples being the lack of cooperation between the institutions and the absence of shelters for victims.  Both Dalia and Kristina, as members of Renate were looking for the possibilities of how the Church in Lithuania, especially Religious communities, could become safe places of shelter for the victims of human trafficking. Publicity about this possibility is very important, so there is a need to have a website, teaching, shelter/s, films, discussions, broadcasts, movement and actions like daily prayers for the victims. These would be good foundations upon which to build a supportive network in Lithuania.
Sr. Dalia Verbyle SJE
Kaunas, Lithunia
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.

Support for the Members: Criteria for applying for funding from RENATE
One of the major objectives of RENATE is to support the members in their daily work and to build capacity for this task. To achieve this objective RENATE has a Fund which members can request.
To avail of this fund the applicant must comply with RENATE’s Criteria and the Donor’s Guidelines. Up to ten applications will be considered each year. Over this number will be considered in the following financial year.
It is envisaged that the Fund be used for:

• Language course
• Short respite care for worker
• Upskill a worker in the field of Human Trafficking

(not planned for in the Project’s Annual Budget)

• To meet the emergency needs of those who have been trafficked or may be at risk of being trafficked (not for infrastructure):

For example:

• health issues
• homelessness: 6 months’ rent to help families become independent (resettlement)
• education of woman or childcare fees so as to be free to avail of any educational course.

Amount
Up to €1000 for language course and  €2000 for a local project/Capacity Building per applicant per annum (at the discretion of Core Group).
For financial auditing purposes, the successful applicant must submit receipts with evidence of completion of task and /or a copy of certificate of attendance (where applicable).
How to Apply
Members can avail of this fund by completing the application form available at https://renate-europe.net/support-members
Alternatively, you can write to RENATE’s official email address for an ‘Application Form’.
Please return the completed form electronically to renatenetwork@gmail.com
The request will then be taken to RENATE’s Core Group for approval/non approval.
(Core Group meet once a month).
The Secretary will inform the applicant of the outcome.
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.

Twelfth Edition of RENATE Newsletter Available Now.
RENATE welcomes all website visitors to read the Twelfth edition of its newsletter.
Your feedback will be very much appreciated.
Thank you.
Please click here to read the Newsletter

Dear colleagues,
For your information, please find attached the Agenda for the forthcoming Talitha Kum coordination meeting, which will take place in Rome, from the 19^th-23^rd June 2017.
Talitha Kum is an international network of Consecrated life against trafficking in persons and is a project of the International Union of Superiors general (UISG), in collaboration with the Union of Superiors General (USG). It is a network of networks, organised in many different ways, each promoting initiatives against trafficking in persons in their particular contexts and cultures. 
Founded in 2009, Talitha Kum arose from the shared desire to coordinate and strengthen the already existing activities against trafficking undertaken by consecrated persons in seventeen regional networks in seventy countries across the five continents.
Working as a network facilitates collaboration and the interchange of information between consecrated women and men and in this regard, Imelda Poole, IBVM, President of RENATE, will represent RENATE at the coordination meeting. A report on the meeting will issue in due course. More at: E-Bulletin No. 7.June 2017.
Further information on Talitha Kum is available at  http://www.talithakum.info/
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 
 

 

 
Dear participants of the EU Civil Society Platform against THB,
Following from the meeting of the Platform of 30-31 May 2017, please find attached the power point presentations as follows:

• An overview of the EU Anti-trafficking action at a glance which is also publicly available on the EU Anti-raffickingwebsite: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/publications/eu-anti-trafficking-action-2012-2016-glance_en
• “Navigating EU Funding”session. Please be informed that national programmes under shared management (AMIF, ISF-Police and ISF-Borders) are available on the national website of the Responsible Authority.
• “Commission’s year of focused actions to combat violence against women”, you can find the presentation attached as well as relevant information concerning available funding at this link (Daphne calls):http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/rec/index.html#c,c
• alls=hasForthcomingTopics/t/true/1/1/0/default-group&hasOpenTopics/t/true/1/1/0/default-group&allClosedTopics/t/true/0/1/0/default-group&+PublicationDateLong/asc

A personal message from the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator.
‘’Thank you for your active participation and contributions to the biannual meetings. Your work is crucial in assisting, protecting and supporting victims of trafficking, in contributing shaping local, regional, national and EU policies; and your diversity brings a crucial value added to our joint efforts.
During the meeting last week, in workshops and networking breaks, several of you shared experiences and ideas, mentioned reports, made references to upcoming and foreseen events. We wish to encourage you once more to consider all these examples as input to be shared with all participants to the e-Platform. It is important to ensure we make full use of this instrument to give continuity to discussions, both making and input and receiving information, and that we involve those additional NGOs that are not included in the meetings.  
Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you,’’
Office of the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator. 
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.