Call of UN Secretary General addressing Violence Against Women

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for measures to address a “horrifying global surge in domestic violence” directed towards women and girls, linked to lockdowns imposed by governments responding to the COVID-19 pandemic: 

Peace is not just the absence of war. Many women under lockdown for #COVID19 face violence where they should be safest: in their own homes.

Today I appeal for peace in homes around the world.

I urge all governments to put women’s safety first as they respond to the pandemic.

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Ending Human Trafficking by 2030: The role of Global Partnership in Eradicating Modern Slavery

The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations hosted an event on Ending Human Trafficking by 2030 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.  The event is over three hours long and made up of a number of panels.  It is a very informative event.  The panels included a keynote panel, followed by a panel on ‘The Scope of the Problem and the Opportunities it Provides.’  The third panel  focused on ‘What Is Being Done To Address the Problem in a Coordinated Way,’ followed by ‘Insights from Member States’ and closing.  Link to the Web cast

machariakamau_0_0The most outstanding speaker for me was H.E. Macharia Kamau, Kenya’s Ambassador to the United Nations and one of the Co-Chairs of Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals. See the full Program of speakers. Ambassador Kamau of all the speakers identified clearly what needs to be done to bring about change. He spoke from his experience. The resistances referred to are real and constitute the challenges that must be addressed.  If you wish to listen to his address move the marker to 3.01 approx.  Ambassador Kamau said ‘it is interesting that we are having this conversation this evening on modern slavery because when I was working for the Sustainable Development Goals, which I was co-charing, you cannot imagine how difficult it was to get these key issues on board. When working on 8.7 it took the direct intervention of the Pope himself – I was sitting there and I know because I scripted it.  These issues were incredible complex, but I am thrilled to see all are on board, and wanting to get on with the business of finishing this scourge from the face of the earth.

For us,  those of us of colour, this is not something we see as a modern phenomena. It is deeply rooted in our history, and our being for over 500 years. There is a monument outside, dedicated to modern slavery, slavery period really – transatlantic slavery, but it could equally be the Indian Ocean Slavery. I don’t know if many of you have seen it?  It took the United Nations  almost 70 odd years to mobilize the gumption to actually put it there.  You would not believe the amount of resistance we have faced over the past 10 years to have a monument to slavery, here at the United Nations.

I am thrilled that there seems to be such voices speaking for this issue and that everyone is finally on board on this issue.  Indeed the Pope was clear, the Pope was clear on many other things too – climate change, inequality, and I want you to know that we were confronted by a huge amount of resistance to have these issues included.  Issues of slavery, of human trafficking, are horrific issues that have deep roots in history, and has deep roots in our psychology. It represents a racism, misogyny, horrible prejudices that have warped the way in which the world functions, to this very day.

We should be clear, if we are serious about the issue of modern slavery, we need to fundamentally reassess the way in which we are in modern society, the way we have been as human beings to each other, the way in which we are as human beings to each other.

8.7 is just a target.  8.7 is a target among 169 other targets.  But I can assure you that 8.7 will mean absolutely nothing, if we are unable to take care of other fundamental challenges that have to do with the way we as  human beings reach out to each other.  How are we able to allow and facilitate the development of all society so that within our countries  inequalities disappear.  Besides those people who are trafficked are trafficked from our countries and they are going to destinations that are in our countries.

We have to take structural responsibility for this.  All the legislation, and good will in the world, if not followed by change of will and a change of mentality, as to how we treat each other, and as to how we embrace each other as human beings,   will mean in the end that we will not succeed.

I am afraid, whether we are talking of unemployment, inequality, issues of gender or climate change which has a direct impact on forcing people into slavery, as their land becomes destroyed – when, the where with all to live off that land is decimated by drought, it is impossible that you expect that these people will not be carted off into all kinds of exploitation, including modern slavery

My message to this forum – yes 8.7!   8.7 helps us to focus,  but 8.7,  this is only symptomatic of a  fundamental and structural challenge that faces us human being, and us as a collective global society.  Somehow, we have to find the belief and the determination to undertake the real structural transformation that is needed in our societies and economies in order to be be able to do what it is we claim to be doing to combat abuse, slavery and exploitation of one human being by the other.

Nuncio, I could tell you about what Kenya is doing – we have legislation of all kinds and acts on the books for a long time.  I bet that Nigeria has probably as many as we do, but if fundamentals do not change, nothing will change.  My sincere hope is that the Pope will continue to focus all our attentions on this issue, in his way, in a manner that challenges us to go beyond the issue of slavery which is a horrific issue, but touches on the way in which we receive each other, embrace each other and ultimately give a space to each other to live in this world as equal being.”

You might ask what is 8.7 ?  This is a way of referring to Sustainable Goal 8   ‘Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all’

E_SDG_Icons-08

and Target 7  ‘Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

Other Highlights:  Ms Dona Hubbard witnessed to her personal experience.  An inspiration – see Marker 1.09.  Dona is a member of Airline Ambassadors International.

Imelda Poole of RENATE was a panelist see marker at 1.22 RENATE is a network of religious throughout Europe engaged in ministry to trafficked persons.    Imelda Poole

Human trafficking is mentioned in the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development in two other places.  Paragraph 27 which is the declaration part of the Agenda states “We will seek to build strong economic foundations for all our countries.  Sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth essential for prosperity.  This will only be possible if wealth is shared and income inequality is addressed.  We will work to build  dynamic, sustainable, innovative and people-centered economies, promoting youth employment, and women’s economic empowerment, in particular, and decent work for all.  We will eradicate forced labour and human trafficking and end child labour in all its forms…”   Goal 5 Target 2  states ‘Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private Spheres, including trafficking  and sexual and other types of exploitation.”  Goal 16 Target 2 “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.”

E_SDG_Icons-05                   Goal 16

Color your neighborhood orange November 25 to December 10, 2014 – End Violence Against Women!

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign which takes place each year, and runs from 25 November, (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), to 10 December (Human Rights Day).

In 2013, the UNiTE campaign launched a global call for action to “Orange the World in 16 Days.” UN entities, civil society organizations and individuals across the world led an array of creative and highly visible events in over 50 countries, which drew attention to the issue and created opportunities for discussion around current initiatives and solutions. The initiative aimed to create the symbolic image of a world free from violence against women and girls. The colour orange was a uniting theme which ran through all events as one of the official colours of the UNiTE campaign, and as a bright and optimistic colour, representative of a world free from violence

Unite to end Violence

 

Snippets from Youth Symposium on Human Trafficking at the Vatican

As our Good Shepherd Youth delegates to the Symposium, Anne and Joseph make their way home to Malaysia and Taiwan I am gleaning impressions from their social media to share with you. A wonderful experience… humbling… commitment to ending human trafficking… excitement… privilege…

“What a long but fulfilling two days listening to stories of Human Trafficking from all parts of the Globe…some very sad, some hopeful but overall inspiring.  Such a wonderful way to share experiences, resources, and to encourage one another for the wonderful work everyone is doing.  Bravo to the organizers!

I am still very very excited to have met the Pope after reading so many news items of his efforts in many human rights issues and his love of all especially people living in poverty.  He is such an inspiration to me to continue what I have been doing! A wonderful picture of Christ in the world.  I feel so blessed!”  The pictures tell it all.

Anne Baltazar

10730890_10153432064818782_6553605028160651659_n

10734247_10153431634443782_3502084861481826160_n   We are here!

“Absolutely inspired by the many young women and men working to end modern day slavery … some were survivors themselves, some work to lobby for better laws and legislation, some in prevention and awareness to youth and some in the caring and empowering of the survivors.

I am most in awe of those who are survivors themselves and are working to make sure it does not happen to others, and for the men who are showing their ‘maleness’ by rallying other men to respect women equally.

A group of very wonderful, inspiring and also fun loving people… and I am so humbled to be part of this.”  Quotes from Anne’s Facebook

As we think of the 16 days to end violence against women starting on November 25th  and going right through to December 10th we,  Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd Mission Partners around the world are working daily to ‘orange’ not just our neighborhoods but through our networks the whole word!

 

Youth Symposium in Rome on Prostitution and Human Trafficking.

The title of the 2 day symposium to be held on November 15 and 16 is ‘young people against prostitution and human trafficking: the greatest violence against human beings’  This Symposium is taking place in the Vatican and being hosted by Pope Francis.   I am very happy to let you know that Good Shepherd have two youth attending the Symposium – one from Malaysia and one from Taiwan.  Here is the link to the 34 page booklet.   Pages 3 and 4 presents the context in which the Symposium is taking place. Pages 7,8,9 and 10 outline the program for the two days.  Pages 11 to 22 provides the bios of the various speakers and 23 to the end are names of the observers

On page 11 you are introduced to Mary Anne Balthazar from Sabah, Malaysia and on page 17 you will learn about Joseph Loh from Taiwan.  It is certainly a tribute to the work of Good Shepherd in both Malaysia and Taiwan that Anne and Joseph have been selected as presenters.

Ann Marie       Joseph

 

Congratulations Anne and Joseph.  Be assured that we are all praying for you and cheering for you too!  Anne will present on at 11.30 on November 16th ‘Youth for Youth Against Human Trafficking – The Sabah Saga’ and Joseph will presented at 18.00 hours ‘Prevention of Human Trafficking in Taiwan.’

The topics are very broad and cover multiple aspects of human trafficking.   In reviewing the list of presenters I wish you to note that Good Shepherd are present in Ireland, (Ruth Kilcullen);  Kenya (Winnie Mutevu);  Spain, (Alejandra Scelles Torres);  Albania (Olivia Conroy);  Cambodia have two presentation ( Pisey Khim and Phirum Sary); and  Bolivia (Ana Paola Garcia Villagomez).

Marie Helene Halligon who attended the conference on Human Trafficking in November 2013 has been active in RENATE Europe and has encouraged youth to attend.  I am encouraging  two young people from Europe:  Andrea, who, I think represents her Hungarian NGO “ergo”. I was in contact with “ergo” during my staying in Hungary last September.  And Constance, who is a volunteer with Caritas Europe GS is part of in the “Collectif_contre_la_Traite”.   These two young women know GS only because of my contact as GS with their network.

AndreaAndrea Klemencsics    Age: 24   Profession: juriste (lawyer)     Petite présentation: Je suis diplômée de l’Université Catholique Péter Pàzmàny. J’ai écrit mon mémoire de l’esclavage moderne. En 2012 en cadre de programme Erasmus, j’ai étudié l’Université Catolique de Lille. A l’Université j’ai commencé un recherche avec mes professeurs français et hongrois. En 2012, j’ ai passé 6 mois à Lille, j’ai fait le stage chez Mouvement du NID. (prostitution, traite des êtres humains) Actuellement, je poursuis mes études doctorales à l’Université Catholique Péter Pàzmàny. Parallèlement, je suis membre de l’Association d’ERGO et de l’Association d’Ars Boni. (la revue juridique qui est éditée par les jeunes juristes)   Actuellement, je suis à Paris et je fais un stage à Fondation Robert Schuman en cadre de bourse.

Constance MAZARD, born in Montauban, France, on January 28, 1986 (28 years old).   Volunteer at Secours Catholique – CMCaritas France, is active in the struggle against human trafficking.    During her studies of law and political sciences, she used to take part in several activities with the catholic church. These activities included spending a month at an orphanage in India, taking care of children with sever physical and mental problems, taking care of the elderly in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and spending a year in a Vietnamese catholic monastery teaching English to the Monks.
Through those experiences, she has learned a lot about human rights and the terrible situation of those living of the most impoverished conditions.   She was then involved in the struggle against human trafficking with the Collective « Together against the human trafficking » which gathers 23 charity organizations in France, coordinated by the Secours Catholique.     Website   (english and french)

We congratulate youth on all their accomplishments in this area.

Northern Ireland votes in favour of making it a crime to pay for sex.

Gerardine Rowley

 

Gerardine Rowley of Ruhama speaks on Morning Ireland about the new legislation in Northern Ireland criminalizing those who pay for sex.  Ruhama has been advocating for this sort of legislation for the past 10 years where the demand is criminalized.  Those involved in prostitution will not be criminalized rather buyers will be called to account. Listen to the interview at 1.13

Profits and Poverty: the economics of forced labour.

Profits and PovertyA new report from the ILO investigates the underlying factors that drive forced labour, of which a major one is illegal profits.  Figures will include a breakdown of profits by area of forced labour and by region. Per capita profits are highest in commercial sexual exploitation, which can be explained by the demand for such services and the prices clients ar willing to pay, and low capital investment and by the low operating costs associated with this activity.  Read more in  English    Spanish   French

How is forced labour defined?   A definition of forced labour enshrined in the ILO’s Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (29) adopted in 1930 reads ‘the definition encompasses all forms of work or service, whether formal or informal, legal or illegal. Forced labour also requires an element of coercion (“menace of penalty”) to distinguish it from labour exploitation more broadly. The free and informed consent of workers throughout the labour relationship is another important element of the definition. Convention No 29 requires member States to make forced labour a penal offense; hence the exaction of forced labour is not a minor labour law violation but a criminal act. As such, it is closely related to the concept of human trafficking as defined by the UN Protocol of 2000 to Prevent, suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. The Protocol makes trafficking in persona a criminal offence. All exploitative purposes of trafficking are covered by the ILO’s Forced Labour definition with the exception of trafficking for the purpose of the removal of organs. (page 3) 

May 22nd – UN Women – Launch of Beijing+20 Campaign.

Taken from SAY NO  UNITE To End Violence Against Women Facebook

Beijing + 20

 

Spoiler alert: We’re launching a year-long campaign on gender equality on 22 May! We’ll have fantastic content and monthly social media activities for you, all under the theme of “Empowering women, empowering humanity. Picture it!”. In 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action created a blueprint, a promise for gender equality. 20 years later, progress has been made, but challenges remain. How do you picture gender equality? What action will you take to close the gap? Get excited with us! #Beijing20

Click here to see a short video clip.

 

Last day of CSW 58 – Question will there be agreed conclusion?

Scenes from Thursday night at the UN where negotiations on Agreed Conclusions continued until 2.00 a.m.

CSW  58 Inside

Member states negotiating

CSW 58 Outside

Representatives waiting outside negotiation room,advocating for their priorities online

(Thanks to twitter and @femtaskforce   @UN_CSW  #CSW58  #humanrights  @phumzileunwomen @UN_Women

Read the statement on behalf of adolescent girl to CSW 58.  Click here

Continuing CSW 58 Reflection – Side Events.

Towards the end of last week and into this week (March 17th) the focus has been at two levels:  presenting good practice during side events and secondly following the negotiations that are ongoing with regard to the outcome document through morning briefings and caucus meeting.  Apart from two specific side events, one focusing on Social Work and a second on Women and Girls’s Circles I followed and supported various side events addressing issues of prostitution and human trafficking.

The International Association of Schools of Social Work invited me to be a panel presenter at their side event entitled Social Work’s Response to Poverty as Violence Against Women. (March 12)  The panelists covered many areas highlighting the flexibility with which social work addresses the multidimensional aspect of poverty in many corners of the globe.   The social work interns Lindsay and Carlos presented on the pervasiveness of poverty and violence and the effect of migration policies on women and girls. I shared on ‘Good Shepherd’ work in Ethiopia.   Rebecca Davis, NGO Representative, International Association of Schools of Social Work, Director and Associate Professor, Center for International Social Work Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey presented on ‘Strengthening Child Welfare and Protection Systems to Address Poverty and Gender-Based Violence in Sub Saharan Africa’.  As Rebecca presented I was remembering the work prepared by Clare Nolan for capacity building sessions on Child Protection Policies in our ministries in the DRC.  Rebecca referred to the Child Protection Policy and Procedures Toolkit prepared by UNICEF.  Maybe this is a good opportunity to review child protection policy in your ministry.  Access the toolkit

 IASSW Panel - CSW 2014

From left to right Rebecca, Lindsay, Carlos, Winifred and Jean.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      JuliaThe second event was sponsored by a number of like minded organizations  –  Earth Policy InstituteInternational Public Policy InstituteWomen’s World Summit FoundationMillionth Circle,  Circle Connections, We Are EnoughGather The WomenWomen of Spirit and Faith – focusing on women, sustainability and circle leadership.  Julia, a girl advocate from the Working Group on Girls brought girls to the circle. The event was entitled  ‘Implementing Women and Girl’s Circles: A tool to vitalize progress with the Millennium Development Goals’  A snippet from Julia’s presentation can be accessed here.

Panelist; left to right: Dr. Pam Rajput, Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, and Julia. Moderator Ann Landaas Smith, Enough:The Rise of the Feminine and the Birth of the New Story Read more

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women had two excellent panels: ‘Survivors Speak:  Prostitution or Sex Work? When Terminology and Legalization Collide with Human Rights’ and the second  ‘Strategizing to Prevent AIDS and Gender Violence: Setting Goals to Advance Millennium Development. See flyer advertising the events.  Rachel Moran from Ireland presented on both panels. The sharing of experiences by women who were in prostitution was very compelling.  Some of the issues address can be read in the oral statement made to the Commission this morning (Thursday March 20th)  CATW oral statement to CSW.

The NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Person also had two side events Human Trafficking is Not Decent Work and From Objectification to Dignity – positive media representations of girls and women. The second was co-sponsored by the Mission of Ireland to the United Nations together with a with a number of other NGO’s  including Good Shepherd.  Panelists were

  • H.E. Tim Mawe – Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations.
  • Leif Coorlim – Executive Editor at CNN International and Editorial Director of CNN The Freedom Project
  • Youth Activists – Students from the Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest, New Jersey, who created Project Stay Gold

Andrew Tarantowicz, an intern at the GSIJP Office provided the following write up of this event.

2014-02-20 17.34.25

Pervasive societal issues need to be addressed before we can change how women are perceived.  Society holds women to a standard of attractiveness, with less focus on more important qualities such as intelligence.  Women are portrayed in advertisements as body parts.  This is partially the fault of the advertising industry and also society as a whole.  Advertisements attempt to entice and to change perceptions on a product, but the root of this enticement is in how society views that product.  Women are objectified as a result of the way society views them, in selling products that are related and unrelated to women and girls.   Men are also expected to keep to a certain standard.  There are advertisements that display how to be manly.  This affects men and women, as attributes are assigned to women and are shown to be negative to the male image.  This demonizes women and ensures that they stay objectified.

A great way to fight this perception is to contact MISS Representation.  It is a non-profit that aims to curb the growth of harmful advertising.  They are active on social media as well with #notbuyingit.  They were instrumental in changing the focus of the godaddy.com ads that portrayed women in an unnecessary, sexual light, just to sell their product which has nothing to do with women.  The outcry at this harmful portrayal was effective in making change, proof that our voices can be heard.

There is also an inherent problem in the media where in an effort to increase the amount of stories on the air, the integrity of some stories is sacrificed.  Focus is sometimes given to the quantity of stories, not their quality.  This prioritization can make it difficult to focus on important stories that are related to women’s rights or on human trafficking.  The fact that the many people still do not know about the human trafficking and prostitution that occurs during large sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, is an example of the media’s lack of focus.  If the media can begin to shift its focus to telling stories with more depth, such as with impact journalistic initiatives like The Freedom Project at CNN, then there can be a change in the perception of women.  This will make the problem of trafficking harder to hide.

The genesis of The Freedom Project was a story that Leif Coorlim and fellow CNN journalists were chasing in Cambodia.  They went undercover to a Karaoke bar that had a selection of women in prostitution in the back of the building.  There were girls with different colors representing whether they were Cambodian or Vietnamese.  The CNN crew chose the girl that they believed to be the youngest.  They brought her up to a room and interviewed her.  What they found was that she was 14 years old and had been trafficked.

The next step was to contact the Human Trafficking division of the police in Cambodia.  This led to a planned raid on a Friday.  When CNN showed up to this raid, the police told them that it was cancelled as the girl had paperwork that identified her as 19 years old.  The frustration over this injustice spawned The Freedom Project.  Eventually, it was discovered that the head of the Human Trafficking Division was involved in the trafficking and a light was shown on the corruption of the government.

Project Stay Gold is an initiative started by students and now facilitated by both students and teachers from New Jersey that want to stop human trafficking and commercial  sexual exploitation here at home.  They are active on social media and have the bonus of being peer educators to youth in America.  This can really affect students and begin the process of educating the new generation on the problems that face the world.  This will create young activists who can make it their mission to change the world.