Activism through Prayer
Bring light & hope into the darkness of human trafficking
Join ACRATH’s prayer and reflection gathering on Human Right Day – 10th December.
An international prayer and reflection zoom gathering will be held by ACRATH on December 10 to end the 16 Days campaign against gender based violence. The day has deep significance; 10 December 1948 is the day after the horrors of WW2 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document proclaiming the inalienable rights of all human beings. Article 4 of the UDHR commits the world to freedom from slavery and forced labour.
The United Nations 16 days of activism against gender-based violence begins on 25th November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends on 10th December – Human Rights Day. Human trafficking, a $150 billion global industry, is one of the greatest examples of violence against women and girls. Millions of women and girls are forced to marry or to work in terrible conditions for little, or no, pay and no chance of an education.
The prayer and reflection zoom gathering will be held at 1.00 – 1.30pm (Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra time) on Thursday 10th December 2020. To register in advance, please go to the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rdeCrrz8iGtz5dB4Lgu68idqhS0AtQG_q
One of the prayer and reflection gathering organisers and Victorian ACRATH Coordinator, Claire Griffin CSB, believes Human Rights Day, in the season of Advent, is a fitting day to focus on hope and a call to action.
“This time of Advent offers us a gleam of light and a hope in Jesus, to those who live in despair, especially women and girls who are living in a world dark with violence,” she said.
During the prayer and reflection gathering people will be asked to reflect on various aspects of human trafficking.
“Whenever Jesus encountered a person suffering and apart from the community, he restored their dignity and drew them into the light. He proclaimed the ‘reign of God’, which is a reign of justice,” Claire said. “Whenever we assist another, especially someone whose dignity has been downtrodden, we are a source of light to them. No matter how small our action may be, we become co-workers in proclaiming the reign of justice. When we take action we are overcoming the darkness. “We want people to end the 16 Days Campaign on December 10 with a sense of hope that we can go and do something to bring light where there is darkness and despair.”
For more 16 Days Against Gender Based Violence Campaign information and resources click here.
