Dreaming and working for a world without human trafficking
By Sr. Katleho Khang, SNJM
Human trafficking has increased across the globe in recent years due to poverty, greed and corruption, unemployment, war, sexual exploitation, and organized crime.
It is estimated that more than 49.6 million people have been trafficked worldwide, which makes human trafficking the most serious crime in the world, according to the ILO United Nations Statistics on Human Trafficking Worldwide.
Collaborative efforts with partners
In an interview with Vatican News, the Superior General of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Sister Linda Haydock, SNJM, highlighted some of the collaborative efforts made across the world to end human trafficking by her religious congregation.
Sr. Haydock explained that they have undertaken enumerable collaborations to end human trafficking with the Canadian organization CATHII-The Action Committee Against Internal and International Human Trafficking founded by religious Congregations and women’s organizations in Quebec.
“Our members are involved in the current CATHII-University-UN project that brings a cohort of women university students together to be trained on the complexities of human trafficking and then they participate in the Commission of the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York,” she said.
Another collaboration is with Talitha Kum, the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking, formally established in 2009 by International Union of Major Superiors (UISG) as an international initiative against human trafficking.
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary have been active in the forming of Talitha Kum networks in Peru, Brazil, United States, and Canada.
They also have a representation in Peru’s KAWSAY Network. KAWSAY has held awareness campaigns on human trafficking, trained survivors and provided survivor services.
In Brazil, the Sisters are active in the Rede um Grito Pela Vida (Shout for Life Network) which is part of the Talitha Kum Network. “The group provides workshops, posts human trafficking information in public areas and gives aid to those in need,” she said.
Sr. Haydock indicated that they have provided educational materials and workshops for hundreds of churches, schools, and health systems in many parts of the world, including Canada, the United States, Lesotho, South Africa, Brazil, and Peru.
She pointed to the legacy of St. Josephine Bakhita and the work of the congregation’s mission partners, which have completed 606 actions of advocacy, education and prayer in 20 days.
Their efforts include supporting people working with survivors, standing on street corners, holding conferences, and filing corporate shareholder resolutions to reduce human trafficking in the business supply chain.
She believes that every effort can make a difference, no matter how small.
Hope for the future in breaking chains of trafficking
Sr. Haydock shared her hopes for the future, echoing the words of Pope Francis. “If we close our eyes and ears, if we do nothing, we will be guilty of complicity,” she said, noting that women religious have been on the forefront of addressing human trafficking for 20 years.
“Now a deeper and wider the collaboration, from every sector of society, is necessary to create the systemic changes necessary the root causes of human trafficking. Sisters of the Holy Names are committed to this effort,” she said.
Sr. Haydock said the UN World Day of Trafficking in Persons, marked on July 30, offers an opportunity for sisters to renew their witness in the public square and to pray with the world community to end human trafficking.
“We called the Congregation members, affiliates and mission partners to take up our corporate stand to end human trafficking with new vigor.”
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
