Christine Carolan, ACRATH National Projects Co0-ordinator, recently spent some time in Geneva. During her time there she met with advocates against human trafficking from Franciscan International who helped her to connect with other organisations including UN officials addressing trafficking in persons, the Permanent Mission of Australia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, Msgr. Silvano Tomasi; and other NGOS working on the issue.
The Chocolate Industry RespondsThe CNN documentary “Chocolate’s Child Slaves”, premiers Friday January 20, 9 CET on CNN International. CNN correspondent, David McKenzie, went to the Ivory Coast to investigate children working in the cocoa fields.
Responses from the world’s major chocolate companies can be read here.
The latest issue of The Anti-Human Trafficking Newsletter highlights how world events are often interwined with human trafficking.
Click here to access the January 2012 issue
The latest newsletter released by Solwodi (Solidarity with Women in Distress) reports on justice being dispensed in a German court for victims of some Romanian victims of trafficking.
Click here to read the newsletter
Researchers at the New Zealand Asia Institute at the University of Auckland have been investigating abuses aboard Foreign Fishing Vessels. The sinking of the Oyang 70 in New Zealand Waters in August 2010 brought to light information about “crew members not being paid, being underpaid, having their wages eaten up by agency fees and being verbally and physically abused.” some of the research is documents in a paper entitled Not in New Zealand waters, surely. Copies of this document can be accessed here.
The Pacific Trafficking in Persons Forum was held in December 2011. Four ACRATH members attended the Forum. The keynote speaker was Ruth Dearnley from Stop the Traffik in the UK. The Forum looked at the various forms of trafficking taking place in the Pacific Region. In her address Ruth reminded participants that we live in a global world and so can no longer be concerned only about our own country as the events in one country impacts on those of another. We can work towards eliminating human trafficking if we do even one small thing, e.g., only eat chocolate that is certified as being free of child slavery.
For more information on the Forum click here.
The December issue of this newsletter highlights the negative ripple effect of the many forms of human trafficking.
Click here to read the newsletter.
Trafficked Children Need Your HelpA new prayer card is being distributed by Asia Against child Trafficking (Asia ACTs). As well as a Prayer for the Victims of Child Trafficking and a Prayer for the Defenders and Protectors of Child Trafficking victims, the card gives some background on child trafficking and suggestions on how we can work against this.
Jacqui Hennessy, Group Risk Manager of Cotton On says, “The Cotton on Group is very much aware of the issue of forced child labour and other humanitarian exploitation in Uzbekistan and around the globe.
We are strongly committed to our corporate social responsibilities and proactively maintain acceptable working conditions and trade practices. Cotton On Group requires all suppliers throughout China and other manufacturing locations to comply with our Vendor Ethical Code of Conduct. Using this Code Of Conduct, we monitor the supply chain and aim to improve the conditions for workers within out third party factories. For a copy of our Code of Conduct, please visit.” : www. cottonon.com
Government Welcomes FindingsUN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, visited Australia to examine its strategies to combat people trafficking and report back to the UN Commission on Human Rights. She will deliver her report to the United Nations in 2012. Following her visit the Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, the Hon Chris Bowen, and the Minister for the Status of Women, the Hon Kate Ellis MP, released a press statement in which they welcomed the report of the Special Rapporteur.
Trading Lives
"In a new country there will be
no slavery & hence no slaves."
Captain Arthur Phillip said this in 1787 before leaving England to become the 1st Governor of the new colony of Australia. Phillip landed at Sydney Cove in 1788 after an 8 month sea voyage.
ACRATH acknowledges and respects the Indigenous Peoples of Australia both past and present.
As caretakers of the land and custodians of the stories their culture has survived for thousands of years and is now recognised as the oldest living culture in the world.
