OIM — Understanding and Counteracting Trafficking in Persons — The Acts of the Seminar for Women Religious
http://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/seminar_for_women_religious.pdf
This document is intended to serve as one of the instruments for women religious who are active or who are willing to become active in counter- trafficking1 efforts associated with prevention activities and victim assistance. It is a part of the Counter-Trafficking Training Program for Religious Personnel project supported by the US Embassy to the Holy See, funded by the US Government (Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration), and conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Union of Major Superiors of Italy (USMI), the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and ICMC/Fondazione Migrantes (Rome) of the Episcopal Conference of Italy (CEI).
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We at the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See are very focused on this new assault on human dignity and are working actively both to enhance awareness of this problem and to prevent and deter it through expanded training. We have been privileged to work with the Rome office of IOM, the sisters of the Italian Union of Major Superiors, and the International Union of Superiors General to coordinate this program to train women religious in anti-trafficking strategies and skills. It is a groundbreaking program that has already proven its success. We hope that the information contained in this project report will serve as a useful tool for others in their efforts to put an end to trafficking in human beings. The United States sees people of faith as key partners in this work.
We have a moral responsibility to help the millions of people worldwide who are bought, sold, transported, and held against their will in slave-like conditions. We will continue to work with all people of good will to bring light to the dire circumstances of today’s slaves. We put an end to slavery once before, we can-and must-do it again.
Jim Nicholson
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See
December 2004