RENATE member, Sr. Begoña Iñarra, Missionnaire de N.D. d’Afrique (Sœurs Blanches), shares her presentation to the round-table discussions at the UN, on the interconnectedness of migration and human trafficking.

From left Fr. Johannes Maertens (Benedictine Calais), Br Taizé, Sr. Begoña Iñarra (MSOLA, member RENATE), P. Antoine Paumard (SJ JRS), Sr. Yveline Gerard table animator round.

In her presentation, Begoña speaks about the migration journey and plight of Nigerian women trafficked into prostitution in France; the distinction between ‘smuggling’ and ‘human trafficking’; the complexities encountered when human trafficking is viewed as a transnational crime instead of being viewed as exploitation of victims; the successes and failures encountered so far by RENATE-France and associated organisations in their efforts to support victims and survivors.
Begoña emphasises the need for migration policies throughout the EU to adapt and include the concept of Protection when addressing Human Trafficking and concludes on a positive note, inviting Religious to respond to the call, saying;
‘’The task is too big for one individual, one single congregation or group. Only together can we eliminate trafficking and modern slavery in our societies. Victims need people who can help on the path towards freedom. We have the material and human resources, such as many older sisters who have the time and the ability to listen and to love, which the victims need in their recovery processes.’’
For more: https://renatefrance.wordpress.com/2017/05/17/migration-des-victimes-de-la-traite-humaine/

Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.