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UPDATE March 2008
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UN Gift (UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking) – The Vienna Forum 11-15 February 2008 “This forum, very unusual by UN standards, is not an intergovernmental meeting nor a talk show… It is a rally, a meeting of all of us who are committed to fight a crime that shames us all...” So said Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in his opening remarks on the first day of the Conference. Much about the session was like a rally. There were excellent opportunities for networking. The arts of film, music, and cartooning focused the efforts to fight against human trafficking. Media personalities like Emma Thompson and Ricky Martin spoke .against human trafficking as did a group of strong women leaders led by Suzanne Mubarek, the first lady of Egypt. Much also was designed to explain and develop tools in the fight against trafficking. We saw a mock trial that showed how trafficking was prosecuted. We learned about programs for an MP3 player that was able to speak to a trafficked woman in one of 13 different languages so that she could have a better understanding of what was happening to her if picked up by the police in a brothel raid. In fact, for those of you who are interested many of the details of the program and adio and video clips can be found on the UN GIFT web site http://www.ungift.org/ (Unfortunately only in English…) In spite of all of the good things about the Forum, it displayed an underlying imbalance in the interpretation of the Palermo Protocol that was presented. A large majority of those who presented panels promoted the belief that prostitution is a form of work. They systematically attempted to limit the categories of human trafficking to only one: forced labor. As a result, we are faced with the strange description of sexual exploitation of children being called one of the worst forms of child labor as if it were a legitimate form of work through which someone could aspire to earn a living. This approach ignores the tremendous violence and human rights violations that are part of the world of sexual exploitation whether it is in trafficking, prostitution or other form of sexual exploitation. We invite you to learn more by connecting to the new pages relating to STOPPING THE DEMAND for trafficking of women and children on UNANIMA’s web site: www.unanima-international.org (in three languages now with Portuguese to come later this March.) You will also find a press release from the Coalition against Trafficking in Women presented at the Vienna Forum which explains in detail UI’s objection to considering sexual exploitation as labor exploitation. What’s New? Commission on the Status of Women 52 – continues through March 7, 2008. Consult the Web site for the Division for the Advancement of Women for the various documents and statements. UNANIMA International was instrumental in preparing two of the written NGO statements for this commission. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/52sess.htm UNANIMA International Board meeting – 13-15 March 2008 Campaign Launch to STOP THE DEMAND for trafficking of women and children on 13 March 2008, at the Church Centre across the street from UN Headquarters in New York. (Click here to see the flyer.) Speakers at the event will be Jean M. O’Meara, SHCJ, UNANIMA International Board President, Dorchen Leidholdt, founding co-director of the Coalition against Trafficking in Women, and Clare Nolan, RGS, UN NGO representative of the Good Shepherd Sisters and well-known for her work against human trafficking. Our final speaker, Jeffrey Bradley, comes from the Boston area and is a clinical social worker and specialist on the problem of sexual abuse, treating adult and child survivors and perpetrators. He is known for his extensive work with survivors of clerical abuse and their families. All are welcome. Financing for Development – Session discussing Debt 10-12 March 2008 in New York HAPPY EASTER 23 March 2008 World Bank Symposium on Human Trafficking in Washington, DC. The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) will hold a one day symposium on Tuesday, March 25th entitled “Promising Practices and Public Private Partnerships: The Path Forward to Combating Human Trafficking.” Louise and Kathleen Ries, CSA, a new board member will be attending this symposium. Jennifer in Nicaragua UNANIMA administrative assistant is a student at the Robert Wagner School of Public Policy at New York University. This month as part of her class requirements, she is spending several weeks in rural Nicaragua assessing rural development projects in agriculture. Look for her feature next month.
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