Seeking a Better Life for Trafficked People

Australian Religious Seeking a Better Life for Trafficked People

A group of women religious from around Australia will make their fifth annual pilgrimage to Canberra next week in a bid to influence policies affecting people trafficked into Australia.

The 12 women, Catholic sisters and their colleagues, are all members of Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH). They will spend a week (August 21-26) in Canberra speaking to Members of Parliament, Embassy staff, public servants, union bosses and Church leaders in their continuing battle on behalf of trafficked people.

Sr Louise Cleary, national chair of ACRATH and the newly elected head of the Brigidine congregation worldwide, said the group was pleased that Federal Ministers Brendan O’Connor (Home Affairs), Kate Ellis (Women) and Tony Burke (Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) had agreed to speak to ACRATH members.  She said it showed the Government’s willingness to find out, from groups working on the ground, what issues faced trafficked people.