‘How to fight the $187 billion human trafficking industry’. Cardinal Vincent Nichols discusses his work to end human trafficking with America Media President & Editor-in-Chief, Matt Malone sj, on Conversations with America.
Watch it here (07:25).
 

Recently published, (February 2018), this report provides up-to-date data on Children on the Move, beginning with 10 key facts, such as:

• As of 2016, I in 80 children were forcibly displaced.
• In the decade between 2005 and 2015, the number of child refugees worldwide more than doubled from 4 million to 9 million.
• In 2014, 28% of all detected trafficked victims were children (20% girls and 8% boys).
• Worldwide, almost 1 in 10 children live in countries and areas affected by armed conflict and more than 400 million children live in extreme poverty.
• Over 100 countries are known to detain children in immigration detention.
• An adolescent, secondary educated boy in sub-Saharan Africa travelling in a group along the Central Mediterranean route, faces a 73% risk of being exploited – by comparison with a boy of similar age and education profile from another region drops to 38%.

RENATE subscribes to the core principles underpinning UNICEF’s Agenda for Children on the Move:

1. Protect uprooted children from exploitation and violence.
2. Keep families together and give children legal status.
3. End the detention of refugee and migrant children by creating practical alternatives.
4. Help uprooted children stay in school and stay healthy.

5 Press for action on the causes that uproot children from their homes.

6. Combat xenophobia and discrimination.

Full report at: https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Data-brief-children-on-the-move-key-facts-and-figures-1.pdf
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.    
 

RENATE is encouraged by a recent EUROPOL announcement regarding an operation last month which monitored more than 22,193 people and 6,056 vehicles at more than 2,900 locations in industries including transportation, agriculture, maritime, food processing and catering. EUROPOL says dozens of suspected human traffickers have been arrested in the continent-wide operation targeting criminal gangs. The operation identified 221 “potential victims of trafficking.”
The weeklong operation involving law enforcement and other agencies from 26 countries has resulted in 133 people being detained or arrested on suspicion of human trafficking or illegal immigration. Information collected during the operation, has generated 44 new investigations.
For more: https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/europol-coordinates-europe-wide-action-to-combat-trafficking-in-human-beings-for-labour-exploitation
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications person.
 

Increasing numbers of African migrants traveling through Libya in order to get to smugglers’ boats to cross the Mediterranean Sea, speak of being traded in ‘’slave markets’’ in Libya, as well as being held for ransom, forced labour or sexual exploitation.
Throughout their journey, they are at risk of being attacked by armed gangs and smuggling networks that often force them to pay extra money in exchange for being allowed to continue. The Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime estimates that migrant smuggling is worth up to $323 million a year in Libya. 
Despite the dangers of trying to reach Europe, thousands continue to take the risk and fall prey to traffickers and smugglers and are ultimately exploited, a far cry from their dreams of a better life in Europe.
For more: http://www.channelstv.com/2017/06/19/african-migrants-find-alternative-routes-to-europe/
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 

Please Disturb shows the signs of human trafficking through the eyes of hotel staff at a hotel in the Netherlands. In the film through personal witness, hotel staff help increase awareness throughout the hotel hospitality sector and encourage colleagues in other hotels to take action.
To view the film: https://vimeo.com/74665493
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
 

Trafficking in Children and the Best interests of the Child– OSCE Annual Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference, 3-4 April 2017.
The aim of this year’s conference was to enhance the coherence of international efforts and further promote integrated approaches to respond to child trafficking. The conference arose from an alliance of international and civil society organisations wishing to collaborate to strengthen measures to prevent child trafficking, protect children’s rights and efficiently prosecute perpetrators.   
Focusing on the three ‘Ps’, Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, topics discussed at the conference included:
Policies and measures which may foster the best interest of the child.
Threats facing children in crisis situations.
Factors which increase children’s vulnerability.
The adequacy of existing child protection systems.
Special emphasis was given to the increasing numbers of children on the move, including unaccompanied minors and internally displaced children.  Kevin Hyland, OBE, UK Anti-Slavery Commissioner was particularly concerned about the escalation in numbers of children being trafficked and called on all countries to work together and strategically deploy their resources at prevention of any further escalation. Fr. Michael Czerny, SJ, Under Secretary of the Migrants and Refugees section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, spoke on behalf of Pope Francis, who encouraged the authorities to do more to combat human trafficking. Full message available at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/04/03/popes_message_to_osce_human_trafficking_conference/1303043
360 representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation, major international organisations and NGO’s as well as academia, civil society, the media, trade unions participated in the conference which really was a forum in which participants could analyse case studies, exchange good practices and explore possibilities for collaborations in order to adequately respond to child trafficking in a rights-based and child-friendly manner.
As RENATE is about to undertake research on Child Trafficking in seven of its member countries (Albania, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Slovakia, the Netherlands and the Ukraine), attendance at the conference will be particularly useful for the times when we may have to rely on governmental organisations and NGOs to provide data that may be otherwise inaccessible.
Official report on the conference due shortly.
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.       

A debate on EU anti-trafficking strategy began on 3^rd April 2017 at the European parliament, Strasbourg.
MEPs have begun debating a planned revision of the EU’s Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016).
The current strategy served as guidance for implementing effective means of preventing trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers. was planned to run until December 2016. Increased global migration has added an additional dimension to the challenges of human trafficking, with both migrant smuggling and human trafficking being lucrative and exploitative businesses involving human beings.  
A revised strategy has been announced but is yet to be adopted by the Commission. The draft resolution includes action by EU and member states’ external services to address poverty, oppression, lack of respect for human rights, armed conflict and economic and social inequalities.  MEP’s are also likely to call for transnational, legal and practical responses to human trafficking, in light of the fact that progress in the prosecution and conviction of human traffickers remains limited across Europe. 
Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency, said that around 80% of “registered or presumed” victims in Europe between 2010 and 2012 were women. An EU directive passed in 2011 obliges member states to offer gender-specific support to trafficking victims.
RENATE Core Group members Marie Hćlène Halligon, gsn, and Monica Chickwe, som, will attend the 7^th Annual International Symposium on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, in Brussels on the 17 May 2017, where the EU’s Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings will be a core, foundational document informing discussions. Attendance at the Symposium will provide RENATE with a timely and invaluable opportunity to explore developing integrated solutions to tackle human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The Symposium will also add to our knowledge-base on effective means of identifying victims, awareness raising and improving multi-lateral cooperation. 
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.