Elimination of Trafficking of Children and Youth
Date of Meeting: 28 Jun 2016
Meeting Organizer: Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, UN Office of Drugs and Crime New York Office, Australian Catholic Religious against Trafficking in Humans, International Labour Organization, Covenant House ECPAT-USA
ISJC Staff Present: Major Victoria Edmonds
Reporter: Major Victoria Edmonds
Which SDG does this topic cover? 5, 8, 16
Type of meeting: Informational Conference
Brief summary of presentation of information made
* * This was a conference to make real the faces of the nearly two million children and youth who are presently being trafficked and speak about what’s working, what’s not working and what needs to be done to free them, help them recover, and prevent other young people from suffering as they have. Panelist included an array of experts who combat policy in different faces. Sheila McClain a survivor of childhood trafficking now works to help other victims of trafficking as Director of Survivor Services of End Slavery Tennessee. Yu Ping Chan combats trafficking in her role with the UN Office of Drugs and Crime and shared the measures of the UN takes to eliminate the scourge of trafficking. Sister Angela Reed from the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans said the main cause of trafficking is demand and charted out what everyone could do to help prevent others from being absorbed into this form of modern slavery. Kevin Cassidy of the International Labour Organization focused on trafficking children for labor, noting the importance the private sector has in eliminating exploitation by paying attention to supply chains. Jayne Bigelsen, Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives at New York City’s Covenant House, emphasized the overwhelming number of homeless youth as those particularly susceptible to trafficking. Carole Smolenski of ECPAT-USA brought attention to how the internet is misused by traffickers, and also how it can also aid in identifying predators and rescuing victims.
Overview of agenda items
- Call for Countries to account for people who have been trafficked
- Greater Awareness
- Civil Society needs to be louder
- Must hold Member State accountable
- Establish a Voluntary Plan of Action
- July 30 – World Day of Trafficking in persons
- Issues of Human Trafficking has made it way to the Security Council
- Young Boys are in big demand
- Dialogue with all stakeholders
- Underling conditions for trafficking
- Poverty
- Lack of Opportunity
- Mental Illness
- Lack of family support
- Child Labor
- 300 homeless youth every night are traffic
- Infants are in high demand
- Live streaming of child sex acts
- 38% of parents sell their children into trafficking
- 26% of family member sells their family member in trafficking
- 8% of neighbors sell children into trafficking
What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?
* From what was presented in this conference it was made every clear that education and working with people one on one is the key. In all of our programs we need to bring awareness and ways that people are tricked into these situations. We have opportunities in our Character Building programs to institute this into our curriculums as an awareness. Even a course at the Training Colleges for Officers on the signs or giving a seminar on Trafficking at local levels to Officers and soldiers and employees. The International Anti Human Trafficking Task Force would be a good resource.