DONATE

BECOME A MEMBER

2022 Assembly

 

Tag: Human Trafficking

Posted on October 26th, 2015 By

RENATE Training for Transformation & Board Meeting in Ireland

 

A RENATE Training for Transformation for the members of RENATE Working Board has now been organised and takes place in Dublin, Ireland, from 26th till 28th October 2015. The training is led by Mr. Frank Naughton and Ms. Maureen Sheehy from the Partners Training for Transformation. There are 23 participants from sixteen European countries.
The training will be followed by a short Working Board Meeting from 29th till 30th October, at which three staff members of RENATE will be present too. It is planned that during this time there will be an opportunity to experience the work of the Irish organisations working in the field of anti-trafficking and to learn from them of the challenges which they face and the actions being taken. The Working Board is privileged to have the opportunity to become exposed to a new cultural reality.

Posted on October 16th, 2015 By

Ian Urbina, New York Times Journalist Shares with us Some Developments

 

Ian Urbina, New York Times journalist shares with us some small developments related (at least tangentially) to The Outlaw Ocean series, which has featured as News items on the RENATE website during the Summer months, 2015. (29th July, 2015: Criminality at Sea, Involving Trafficking and the Exploitation of Human Beings)

Firstly, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently offered more insight on his hopes and plans for improving policing at sea. He gave this input in a couple of interviews with the Times. During the ‘’Our Ocean’’ conference in Chile, he also riffed a little on the sea slaves story. But more importantly he ended by saying that he intends to make the topic a focus of next year’s conference.

The US Senate caucus on Human Trafficking held a fascinating panel on the role the U.S. government might play through marketplace leverage. Two ideas discussed: stricter traceability rules on seafood imported to the U.S., and raising the bar on transparency and labour standards for the more than $300 million worth of seafood bought by U.S. agencies.

Lastly, this week, a court in Sao Tome and Principe convicted the three officers of the Thunder. This was the pirate fishing ship at the top of Interpol’s Most Wanted list and which the Sea Shepherd pursued relentlessly on the high seas.

A conviction such as this is a fairly rare occurrence, since so few of these notorious scofflaws are apprehended or prosecuted. It is heartening to know that some of the documents seized on The Thunder are now being used by Spain and other countries to target the criminal syndicates tied to illegal fishing on the high seas.

 

Adapted and compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on October 6th, 2015 By

Report on a Work Trip from Bratislava to Uzhgorod and Lviv in the Ukraine

 

Sr Bohdana Bezáková travelled to Lviv, for a meeting with Sr Valentyna Ryabushko, secretary to the Conference of Female Religious Superiors of the Greek Catholic Church in the Ukraine, 22 September, 2015. In total, her journey took 8 hours!
In Lviv, Bohdana gave a presentation on human trafficking to the members of the male and female religious institutes of the Greek Catholic Church. She also provided information on the RENATE network and the various initiatives undertaken in the areas of prevention and supports to victims of human trafficking.

Meeting with Church representatives in the Ukraine, 22-26 September 2015
Meeting with Church representatives in the Ukraine,         22nd-26th September 2015

Of particular importance was the time spent in conversation regarding the possibilities of a delegate becoming a member of RENATE from the Conference of Female Religious Superiors (KVPŽR) and Conference of Religious Superiors (KVRP) of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, Bohdana also had the opportunity to meet with a psychologist, Oleksandra Yakymets, who provides courses aimed at trauma therapy in Ukraine, particularly provided to victims of trafficking who have returned to Ukraine and join the reintegration programme.
For her it was particularly valuable to spend time in meetings and negotiations with the Secretary of KVRP of the Greek Catholic Church which involved planning specific steps to implement prevention and awareness-raising activities in collaboration with RENATE and Caritas Slovakia. Bohdana also enjoyed meeting with activists in the parish and volunteers working in the children’s home who are implementing prevention programmes at school dormitories and children´s homes in Ukraine.
Sr Valentyna Ryabushko, RSM and Sr Bohdana Bezáková, CJ
          Sr Valentyna Ryabushko, RSM           and Sr Bohdana Bezáková, CJ

Click here to read more about the outcomes following the visit and meeting in Ukraine: Report on a Work Trip from Bratislava to Uzhgorod and Lviv in the Ukraine

 
Compiled by Bohdana Bezáková, CJ
Adapted and prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on September 29th, 2015 By

Second Vatican Symposium for Young People

 

The Vatican will host its second Youth Symposium at Casina Pio on November 7th and 8th next, where youth working to support the victims of Human Trafficking and working in the areas of awareness raising and prevention, will meet to collaborate and share best practice.
We send our very best wishes to RENATE member, Sr. Stanka Oršolić, who will be representing RENATE at the Symposium. Her Human Trafficking awareness article was published in July 2015 edition of Croatian Journal New Presence: Review for Intellectual and Spiritual Questions.
In her article, Sr. Stanka provides a comprehensive overview of numerous and varied activities undertaken by the listed organisations attending the Youth Symposium at the Vatican last November. Comprising examples of preventative measures, support to victims and educational awareness-raising activities, the article is a testimony to the work and commitment of countless people who work against Human Trafficking in responding to the call ‘’Who is my mother and who are my brothers?’’ (Matthew 12:46-50).
First Youth Symposium in the Vatican_November 2014_by Sr. Stanka Oršolić
New Presence – Review for Intellectual and Spiritual Questions_magazine cover
Prvi simpozij mladih u borbi protiv prostitucije i trgovanja ljudima – najvećeg nasilja nad ljudskim bićima_by Sr. Stanka Oršolić
 
Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on September 23rd, 2015 By
Posted on July 29th, 2015 By

Criminality at Sea, Involving Trafficking and the Exploitation of Human Beings

 

An Outlaw Ocean series of investigative journalism draws attention to criminality at sea, involving trafficking and the exploitation of human beings

Writing for The Outlaw Ocean Series in the New York Times this summer, 2015, investigation journalist Ian Urbina’ s articles encapsulates the complex web of criminality on the high seas.
Alarming insights are presented on how violence at sea and on land are handled differently and how little regard there is for the dignity of the human person when shipping vessels become places of detention, exploitation and even death by foul means.
To feed the demands of the global economy, 90% of the world’s goods are transported on the high seas. Often, maritime laws are not as extensive as those governing air, road and rail transportation.
Tens of thousands are enslaved on boats each year – many of them minors –because of debt payments or coercion or fleeing from war. Frequently, they are subjected to inhumane conditions without respite or sufficient food to survive.
In Men and laws, thrown overboard, which featured on the 17th July 2015, we read of the exploitation and harsh realities for those on board the Dona Liberta, a rusty, refrigerated cargo vessel which has a record of regularly switching off its mandatory satellite tracking signal, dumping oil and pollutants into the seas, abandoning crew members, abusing stowaways and turning a blind eye to people traffickers.
For more, see: www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/world/stowaway-crime-scofflaw-ship.html?_r=0
In the second series of articles, Murder at Sea: Captured on Video but Killers Go Free, Urbina writes of lawlessness and unaccounted for murder at sea. We read of armed gangs running protection rackets and ruthless pirates attacking container ships; human traffickers transporting refugees and migrants in less than seaworthy boats, in addition to violence amongst fishing boats competing against each other in the rush greedily to harvest the sea.
On a cautionary note, the article includes some disturbing video content, which only serves to heighten awareness of the additional, enormous risks for migrants and trafficked persons, innocent victims of the inhumanity of persons to persons.
You can access the latest article on: www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/world/middleeast/murder-at-sea-captured-on-video-but-killers-go-free.html

 

Adapted & compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 27th, 2015 By

Raising Awareness about HT at the National Catholic Youth Days in Romania

 

National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca
National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca, June 2015

Blessed are we when our hearts are pure and free!
We will see the Lord, living Redeemer of our life!
Walking with Him, disciples of His Love and Cross,
we search for Life in holiness.
This was the refrain which 2.000 young catholics and I sang every day between the 22nd – 26th of June at the National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
We enjoyed a double celebration because this year Cluj was chosen to be the European Youth Capital 2015.
Fr. Daniel Ange, the Founder of Jeunesse-Lumière Evangelisation School in France, the main speaker at the event, spoke to us about Gender Theory, the importance of chastity and real friendships.
At the invitation of the organizers, we as SOLWODI Romania presented a series of workshops on Trafficking in Human Beings. Participants at the workshops had several questions and showed a lot of interest on safe migration, “loverboy” method, video-chat exploitation, labour exploitation and the trafficking of organs, especially for kidneys and ovaries.
Workshop on Human Trafficking by SOLWODI Romania
Workshop on Human Trafficking by SOLWODI Romania

It was a wonderful occasion, filled with a lot of enthusiasm, joy, happiness and new friendships.
Singing at the National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca
Singing at the National Catholic Youth Days in Cluj-Napoca

At the end of the meeting we all exclaimed the final greeting:
SEE YOU IN KRAKOW in 2016!
 
Composed by Sr. Adina Balan, CJ

Posted on July 24th, 2015 By

Mayors about Climate Change, Human Trafficking and Sustainable Development

 

Vatican Hosts Mayors of World Cities, 21st – 22nd July, 2015
Mayors from around the world were invited to gather at the Vatican as guests of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. They discussed how their respective cities can help contribute solutions to the growing concerns for Climate Change, Human Trafficking and Sustainable Development.
Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Academy, said the climate crisis and modern slavery were ‘interconnected emergencies’ stating that: “although the poor and the excluded have the least effect on climate change… they are the most exposed to the terrible threat posed by human-induced climate disruption.”
For full details on the Conference, see: www.news.va
 
Adapted & compiled by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person

Posted on July 2nd, 2015 By

Report from RENATE Training in Spain

 

‘’Working together against human trafficking…’’
Thus, Sr. Imelda began with a welcome to the thirty two delegates gathered at the Congregation of the Adorer’s in Madrid, Spain, to begin RENATE training in Interventions and Integration of Victims of Trafficking in Human beings for Sexual Exploitation, 31st May – 5th June.
Reminded of RENATE Network joint mission, working together against human trafficking, Sr. Imelda gave an overview of the growth of RENATE from its beginnings, when it was officially launched in Trzebinia, Poland, September 2011.
Informed by Gospel values, Sr. Imelda referenced the consistent building up of activities of RENATE in establishing a pro-active network of members through Common Campaigns; Board meetings in Croatia, Versailles and Albania; Training events in critical areas such as the Social Teaching of the Church, Working with Social Media and training in Labour Trafficking in Albania, November 2014. Additionally, RENATE has been represented at various international gatherings such as ANDANTE in Latvia and at Katholikentag in Germany. RENATE has also found a place at EU meetings, such as the Civil Society Platform, uniting with groups working against human trafficking.
Building a network across Europe is becoming easier as a result of strategic alliances with UISG (Union of International Superiors General – Rome) under the umbrella of Talitha Kum.
Imelda shared a highlight of the past year (2015) when she spoke of the attendance of five young representatives at the Vatican Youth Conference against Trafficking. She stressed the influence that gathering had on them as they commit to making a difference in the lives of victims of human trafficking and exploitation.
In building such capacity, Sr. Imelda spoke of the latest and most significant undertaking by RENATE, namely an exercise in Mapping of Trafficking across Europe, with particular reference to RENATE, which is due to be launched in the Autumn and likely to be followed by the launch of the currently created RENATE film ‘Yes we can.’
Sr. Imelda emphasised the directive of the recent RENATE Working Board meeting in Albania (9 – 16March, 2015), that at all times it brings the voice of the victim to the fore and members are mindful in thoughts, deeds and actions, seeking to bring an end to human trafficking.
She thanked graciously, all those who came for the training event, all those who prepared for it, especially Amaranta Fundación de Solidaridad – the team that prepared the training programme for the week.
Imelda encouraged active engagement of the participants, and emphasised the importance of taking time to get to know each other better, to laugh, to learn and to make the most of the ‘sacred space’ created for the training in Madrid.
(…)
Click on the link below to access full report written by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person:
2015.06_RENATE Training Minutes – ES Madrid 31 May – 5 June 2015

Posted on May 25th, 2015 By

RENATE Training on Intervention and Integration of Victims of Trafficking, Spain

 

A RENATE Training on The Intervention & Integration of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings for the members has now been organized and will take place in Madrid, Spain, from Sunday, 31st May – till Friday, 5th June 2015. We expect 33 participants from twelve European countries.
Outline of RENATE Training in Spain
Speakers: Mrs. Helena Maleno Garzón, Sr. Marta González Manchon, Mrs. Angela Sánchez-Barbudo Virgil-Escalera, Mr. Antonio Rivas, Mr. Elvis Popaj. All trainers are experts in their field.

 

 

Stop Human Trafficking | Pray for Trafficked Persons