Men and
Women Join Against Trafficking
A Congress Underlines Importance of Working Together
By Mirko Testa
ROME, JUNE 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Men can no longer think
of the trafficking of persons as an issue only
concerning women, according to a Salesian priest.
Father Thomas Brennan, who represents the Salesians at
the United Nations in New York, said this at an
international congress in Rome last week on the
trafficking of human persons.
The congress, titled “Network of Women Religious Against
Human Trafficking,” was organized by the International
Union of Superiors General and the World Organization of
Migrations.
Religious from 20 countries and 31 congregations
participated in the weeklong event, which aimed to
educate religious in the fight against trafficking,
reinforce existing national and regional networks and
create the foundations for an international network.
The congress is the fifth of its kind. More than 4,000
women religious in 22 countries have participated to
date. This year, male religious were also invited to
attend.
Father Brennan told the participants that the what is
needed now is “a new cooperation” between men and women
religious.
He said “the crime of trafficking has become so linked
with governmental and societal corruption that what we
see now is a decided resistance in the face of
denunciations and efforts to bring about change.”
Partners
The Salesian urged males religious congregations to get
more involved as “too often it seemed to be just a
problem for women," while "a model that meant privilege
and domination" for men was left intact.
Father Pietro Trabucco, general secretary of the Union
of Superiors General, a confederation of male religious
orders, agreed, “The next step will be a greater
commitment on the part of the congregations of men
religious, as far as they can, to fight against the
commercializing and the exploitation of sexuality by
men.”
The concluding statement of the congress affirmed that
human trafficking and the exploitation of persons is “a
violation of human rights and a disgrace for all
humanity.”
It denounced human trafficking as one of the gravest
current problems.
The text also noted “that governments have not done
enough to get women off the street.”
Addressing the issue of stricter immigration laws, the
religious said "repressive clamping down on immigration
does nothing but aid an increase in illegal
trafficking."
First things first
"People are trying to escape poverty," explained the
text. "If the problem of poverty is not dealt with,
there will be no solutions.”
It continued, “Human trafficking is one of the effects
of the globalization of poverty and hunger. Governments
have only waged a war of words against these problems.”
Mary Ann Glendon, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See,
addressed the congress with an expression of gratitude.
She assured the participants that President George Bush
appreciates the work of the International Union of
Superiors General, and that he "spoke with [Benedict
XVI] about it during his recent visit to Washington."
Glendon noted that not only has poverty contributed to
the growth of human trafficking, but also the decline in
moral values in society.
The project is supported by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy
See and financed by the Office for Refugees and Migrants
of the U.S. government.
