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Introduction

I would like to begin this report on the project to counteract trafficking in women and children with a quotation from the Acts of the Congress on Consecrated Life 2004: «Consecrated life, by its very nature, ought not to be centred in itself but focussed upon its commitment at the service of the most vulnerable after the example of Jesus»[1] The phenomenon of trafficking in persons, especially of women and children, calls us not only to be focussed but more accurately to throw open the doors of our hearts, letting the compassion of Christ flow out to them.  This implies a prophetic and creative presence alongside the victims of this modern-day slavery.

 

 

1. Brief presentation of the contents of the courses

 

The courses of formation have as their objective that of enhancing the capacity of women religious who are involved or are desirous of getting involved in the activities of prevention and assistance of the victims of trafficking in persons.

The frame of reference is the pedagogical approach of Christ which is the animating force of all his actions and his preferential option for the poor. The continuous reference to the Word of God motivates the search for a courageous response to this tragic phenomenon.

The contents of the courses are organised into six sections:

The first section makes an overview of the causes of the phenomenon, taking into consideration the globalisation and the socio-economic situation of the countries of origin of the victims with particular attention to the social condition of women and children. The analysis of the causes opens the way to a closer look into the phenomenon of trafficking, its dimensions, the routes of the criminal organisations involved and the actions to counteract them with a specific attention on the networks of religious congregations.

The second section focuses on the issues of migration, putting an emphasis on the similarities and the differences between migration, trafficking and human smuggling. Most especially, it highlights the feminisation of migration, the aspirations of women migrants, push and pull factors, forms of recruitment, and the sufferings involved even at a psycho-psychiatric level.

The third section looks into the questions regarding health, considering it as a human right of every person. The principal health risks and the frequent at-risk behaviours in relation to trafficking in persons are viewed in this section.

The fourth section deals with the topic of prevention from a very broad perspective. Within this part there is a specific moment for a reflection on the phenomenon and the challenge it poses to the individual charism of the congregations, with a call to search for a fitting response within the framework of the mission of each congregation.

The fifth section offers ideas, using a psychological approach, for helping relationships with the persons who had been trafficked. This is closely linked to the part on empowerment where the concept of resilience is adopted as an approach that offers the possibility for their integral rehabilitation.

The sixth section is on the psychological protection and the spiritual support of the caregivers or women religious who are committed in this mission. This is done in order to prevent burn-out,  which poses as a threat to those who work in this field.

 

At the end of the first year of collaboration, the content of the course was edited and published under the title: Understanding and Counteracting Trafficking in Persons. The Acts of the Seminar for Women Religious. It has been translated into Italian and Spanish. The translation into Portuguese is underway. After the course in Thailand in 2005, the Conference of Women Religious translated the entire publication into Thai.

 

2. A short history of the project

The project had a start in 2004. We are now in the fourth year of this collaboration. The following are the courses that were given in the different contexts.

 

2.1 First Year: 2004

In the first year, the network partners were: USMI, UISG, Migrantes/ICMC and IOM and the courses were organised in the following countries:

Italy: It was organised in the headquarters of USMI, via Zanardelli, Rome, from January 26 to February 6, 2004. The participants were 28: 17 Italians and 11 from other countries (3 Spanish, 1  Romanian, 1 Tanzanian, 1 Indian, 1 Nigerian, 3 Polish, 1 Mexican). The congregations that were represented were 20.

Nigeria: It was held at the Pastoral Centre of Our Lady of the Apostles, Lagos from  March 26 to April 2, 2004. The participants were 22 coming from the different parts of Nigeria. The congregations represented were 16.

Albania: The course was conducted at Scutari, April 12 - 18, 2004. There were 13 participants who represented 12 congregations present in the different parts of Albania.

Romania: It took place in Traina at the centre of spirituality of the SVD fathers, May 16 – 23, 2004. The participants were 22 representing 14 different congregations.

 

2.2 Second Year: 2005

The network partners were USMI, UISG and IOM. There were two types of courses that were organised:

Three-day Follow-up Courses in the countries where the meetings were held in the previous year:

Italy, 18 – 21 April 2005

Albania, 23 – 26 May 2005

Nigeria, 13 – 16 June 2005

Romania, 4 – 6 July 2005

Six-day Courses in the following countries:

Santo DomingoDominican Republic: The course was conducted in Santo Domingo from November 28 to December 3, 2005. The participants were 26 from 21 different congregations. Of them, 24 were from the Dominican RepublicSanto Domingo and 2 from Haiti.

Thailand: The course was organised in Bangkok, 24 - 29 October 2005, with 26 participants of 15 congregations. The greater majority of them were from the different parts of Thailand, but there were participants also from Cambodia and Australia.

 

2.3 Third Year: 2006

The network partners were: UISG and IOM and the meetings organised are the following:

Three-day Follow-up Programme:

Santo DomingoDominican Republic, 1 – 4 June 2006

Thailand, 3 – 5 July 2006

Six-day Formation Courses in the following countries:

Brazil: The course was organised at São Paulo, 2 - 7 October 2006. The participants were 30 from 20 different congregations coming from 12 States of Brazil.

Portugal: It was held from 23 - 28 October 2006 at Lisbon. The participants were 32 Sisters from 22 different congregations. Of the participants 26 were from Portugal and 6 were from Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Angola and Guinea Bissau.

Philippines: The course had 49 participants from 27 different congregations. Of them, 37 were from the Philippines while 12 women religious came from Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and East Timor. It was held from November 27 to December 3, 2006.

 

2.4 Fourth Year: 2007

The network partners are UISG and IOM

Three-day Follow-up Meeting in:

Brazil: 28 – 31 March 2007

Portugal (place and time is still to be ascertained)

Philippines: 12 - 14 July 2007

Six-day Formation Course in South Africa: scheduled for September 30 - October 7, 2007. The participants will be from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.

 

3. Critical evaluation of the networking

Trafficking in persons is a very complex phenomenon. Consequently, networking in this field is not an option but a necessity if we want to be on the part of the defenceless in a strategic way. The criminal organisations that prey on women and children are highly organised and well- connected from one part of the world to the other. It is only through an equally well- organised network that links the countries of origin to those of transit and destination, that we can prevent the weakest and the most vulnerable from becoming a human commodity. One of the objectives of the courses is precisely the creation of networks of collaboration in the conviction that religious congregations, by virtue offor the fact that they are present all over the world, are in an advantageous position for doing so.

It certainly is not so easy to organise these courses. The proposal goes from Rome and the general organisation is done through via the internet; the process of involvement of the national conferences in the proposal has its own difficulties along with the integration of the team of animators. In spite of its limitations, the courses have contributed to the creation of networks of collaboration, although at a germinal stage. It appears essential, therefore, to give continuity to the process begun in view of improving the quality of activities undertaken. It would truly be unfortunate if we do not sufficiently use our resources for building networks of solidarity for the dignity and life of many women and children without, however, excluding men.

In some countries, the “Commission to Counteract Trafficking in Persons” has been created within the Conferences of religious congregations after the courses, with the intention of coordinating the responses to this phenomenon. Others have drawn up short and long-term plans. The challenge is how to implement such plans given the intense rhythm of work, the distance that separates the communities in some cases, and the lack of financial resources. These are some of the aspects that call for further research, innovative thinking and above all a firm conviction in the validity of working together along with a sweeping courage. 

It is evident that the participants are touched by the situation of unimaginable suffering borne most of all by the poorest and the defenceless women and children. However, it appears that a profound reflection, I would dare to call it a hermeneutic approach, in the re-reading of the charism of one’s Institute in relation to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons, is essential. The tendency seems to be that of stopping on the eye-catching aspects of this reality so as to quickly come to a conclusion that the activity to counteract this modern day slavery does not enter within the charismatic mandate of the congregation. The phenomenon of trafficking is highly complex and it covers multiple aspects. The actions to counter it, therefore, need to equally cover multiple dimensions; this calls for the involvement of many congregations from different points of view. Ultimately, I think it needs to be said that no charism can afford to remain untouched and indifferent to the phenomenon that causes a dehumanising and excruciating pain to so many women like us and worst still to helpless children.  

 

4. Future plans

The project of collaboration with IOM terminates in 2007, but not the commitment of the UISG in this field. In order to further the implementation of the Declaration of the Plenary Assembly of 2001, it is thought to continue this activity through the organisation of other specific formative moments in the different parts of the world. To this end, the formation of a plurilinguistic team has started so as to be able to respond to the requests in a more fitting manner. This group will be available, upon request and in collaboration with the Conferences, to accompany the process of reflection in the search for adequate responses to counteract this tragic abuse of persons. The group is open to your suggestions and help.

Another future plan is the posting of the data of these courses in the website of the UISG. It is hoped also to build up the Directory of the participants which can be accessed with a password so as to facilitate communication and the exchange of information.

Still another perspective is that of organising adequate formative moments together with the congregations of men religious and the diocesan clergy in order to address, in the case of trafficking for sexual exploitation, the issue of demand or, more precisely, the role of men. The more one commits oneself in this field the greater becomes the consciousness that the ultimate cause for trafficking of women and children is the demand for sexual exploitation is the demand. The involvement of men religious and diocesan clergy is truly urgent in order to encourage a process of education of men and boys to a different view of woman that moves away from considering her an object of pleasure, exploitation and discrimination.

The collaboration with congregations of men religious and diocesan clergy in counteracting trafficking in persons necessarily leads to an understanding that men play an important role in the pursuit of gender equality giving way to a relationship of reciprocity between men and women, which is nothing but the original plan of God in the creation of humankind (cf. Gen 1, 27).

Another field of work is the active involvement in the field of lobbying and advocacy at local, national and international levels. Such an approach could permit us to make our interventions not only through direct and immediate actions in favour of women and children but would open up the possibilities of being present there where decisions that make an impact on their lives are madedecisions are made that make an impact on their lives. It would contribute to setting up adequate conditions to the eliminateion of the vulnerability of women and children to the snares of the traffickers. The experiences of many congregations with ECOSOC status at the UN confirm the validity and urgency of organising ourselves better also in this field.

 

Conclusion

I would like to conclude by citing a piece from a film[2] on trafficking in human beings. It is a conversation between a trafficked woman and her helper in the journey of recovery.

“Do you think it’s possible when you have lost your humanity to ever find it again?”

“Yes I do, but it’s yours to find, no one can take it away from you, not one man, not a hundred”.

 

I am strongly convinced that all of us are called to accompany many women, girls and children who are humiliated in the depths of their being, by offering them the certainty that no one can deprive them of their humanity and by guiding them to the discovery of a new meaning in life. We can do it because we are confident of the help of Jesus who told us: “I have come to bring life and life in abundance” (Jn 10, 10).

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[1] ÁLVARO RODRIGUEZ Echeverría, The “Enchantment” of Consecrated Life, in AA.VV, Passion for Christ and Passion for Humanity, Rome 23-27 November 2004, Milan, Paulines 2005, 237.

[2] The name of the film is “Human Trafficking” directed by Christian Duguay and released in October 2005.