(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples has teamed up with COATNET in the fight against human trafficking.
Council President, Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, and the Caritas Internationalis International Policy Director on Wednesday presented a “Christian Commitment Paper” on human trafficking which raises awareness in Episcopal Conferences and Church organizations and provides guidelines in the fight against the global slave trade that affects thousands of people.
Linking together many Christian groups which are fighting human trafficking, COATNET (Christian Organizations Against Trafficking in Human Beings) aims to raise public awareness about the phenomenon; fight the root causes of vulnerability; advocate for policies to reduce the vulnerability of people to trafficking; advocate for better anti-trafficking laws; cooperate with authorities, churches and civil society to challenge human trafficking; restore dignity to survivors.
The Paper comes at moment of increasing momentum within the Church – pioneered by Pope Francis – to challenge this form of slavery which the Pope has described as a crime against humanity.
One of those in the front lines and behind the paper is Caritas Internationalis International Policy Director Martina Liebsch who says COATNET had already drawn up a Commitment Paper in 2005 calling for engagement against trafficking, however she says “that document was starting to become outdated” and the new Paper is the result of vaster experience within the area and contains guidelines that are more easily applicable.
Listen to the interview :
“The document is a call to explain what trafficking is, what is behind trafficking but also what can be done by Caritas organizations, other charitable organizations and also by the Church hierarchy” Liebsch says.
Liebsch explains that the document gives some concrete advice on what the Church can do in terms of prevention and sensitization, in terms of assistance to people, in terms of advocacy and in terms of networking.
“We know that we can’t fight this crime alone” she says.
Liebsch says that although sister organizations propel a vast number of activities against this growing form of modern slavery, there is still little cooperation.
She says the second part of the document focusses on how to get things going and on how to approach the issue if you realize there may be a trafficked person in your community, in your parish, in your village – “what can you do to start?”
The document – she says – concludes with some practices which are helpful for the victims in regaining their lives and their dignity.
The full text of the document can be found on the COATNET webpage.
Liebsch also speaks of a video realized in collaboration with the American Embassy to the Holy See which shows that “trafficking has many faces, has many dimensions, it’s not only used for sexual exploitation but also for labour exploitation and through its images it shows that it is often an invisible or difficultly identifiable phenomenon”.
You can watch the video here .
Liebsch says that COATNET is very happy that Pope Francis has taken up the initiative to promote several events highlighting the fact that fighting human trafficking is also a duty of the Church that must “look at it and work against it”.
“This really encouraged us to reach out beyond our network and say: let’s open this commitment which can speak to a person in the hierarchy but can also speak to a person in a parish or in a community” she says.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples has teamed up with COATNET in the fight against human trafficking. Council President, Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, and Caritas Secretary General, Michel Roy, on Wednesday presented a “Christian Commitment Paper” on human trafficking which raises awareness in Episcopal Conferences and Church organizations and provides…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis appealed for equal pay for equal work today, calling compensation disparity a “pure scandal”. The Holy Father made his remarks during the course of his catechetical reflection on marriage and family at his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday.
In discussing the causes of family dissolution, Pope Francis said, “The Christian seed of radical equality between men and women must bring new fruits,” in our time. “The witness of the social dignity of marriage shall become persuasive,” he continued, “precisely by this way: the way of witness that attracts.” The Holy Father went on to say, “For this reason, as Christians, we must become more demanding in this regard: for example, [by] supporting with decision the right to equal retribution for equal work; disparity is a pure scandal.”
“At the same time,” said Pope Francis, “we must recognize the maternity of women and the paternity of men as a perennially valid treasure, for the benefit of children.” The Holy Father went on to praise Christian families’ virtue of hospitality, which is, “of crucial importance today,” especially, he said, “in situations of poverty, degradation and domestic violence.”
It was a theme to which Pope Francis returned in the English-language synthesis read out after the main catechesis in Italian.
Beginning with the crisis of marriage in many societies, Pope Francis said, “Today, society is confronted with fewer marriages. In many countries, separation of couples is increasing, while the number of children is decreasing.” He went on to say, “These broken marriage bonds affect the young most of all, as they come to view marriage as something temporary. Perhaps there is a fear of failure which prevents men and women from trusting in Christ’s promise of grace in marriage and in the family.” Nevertheless, “In truth we know that almost every man and woman desires a secure and lasting relationship, a stable marriage and a happy family.”
“The most effective witness to the blessing of marriage is the good life of Christian spouses and their families,” he said. “The consecration of their love by God is the font of their peace and fidelity. To make these blessings more evident to the world, the equality enjoyed by the spouses must produce new fruit – equal opportunities in the workplace; a new valuing of motherhood and fatherhood; and a greater appreciation for the openness of families to those most in need.”
“Let us not be afraid to invite Jesus and Mary to the marriage feast,” said Pope Francis, “for Christian spouses marry not only for themselves but for the good of the community and for all of society.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis appealed for equal pay for equal work today, calling compensation disparity a “pure scandal”. The Holy Father made his remarks during the course of his catechetical reflection on marriage and family at his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday. In discussing the causes of family dissolution, Pope Francis…
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