8^th International Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Human Trafficking

8 February: liturgical feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese nun who, as a child, had the traumatic experience of being a victim of trafficking. Once again, this year, the associations of Superiors General of men’s and women’s religious congregations are promoting a day of reflection on this too often hidden or forgotten social phenomenon: human trafficking.

The theme for this year is, “The power of care - women, economy, human trafficking.” On the one hand, it proposes a reflection on how the market economy contributes to human trafficking, by highlighting that 72% of the victims of trafficking are women and girls. On the other hand, it invites us to realize that a way out is the promotion of any action that aims at “taking care” of each other.

We are reminded that “Human trafficking is one of the deepest wounds inflicted by the current economic system. Wounds that affect all dimensions of life, personal and community. The current pandemic has increased the business of human trafficking and exacerbated its pain: it has fostered the socio-economic opportunities and mechanisms that give rise to this scourge and has exacerbated situations of vulnerability that have involved those most at risk and disproportionately women and girls, who are particularly penalised by the dominant economic model.”

In this context and in the face of the failure of exploitative economic models, women are called upon to play a leading role as agents of change to create an economic system based on respect for people and the Common Home, which involves everyone. “Caring is a way of life and it is Jesus’ way of loving, as he proposes to us in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), taken up by Pope Francis in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti. We have to take care to transform the relationship with nature, social and economic relations too often based on aggressive competition, which stifles all forms of cooperation and respect for human dignity.

Let us recall the words of the Pope when he established this World Day of Prayer: “I encourage all those who are committed to helping men, women and children who are victims of slavery, exploitation and abuse, who are considered as instruments of work or pleasure and who are often tortured and mutilated. I hope that those who have governmental responsibilities will do their utmost to eradicate the causes of this shameful plague, a plague unworthy of society. Let each of us feel concerned to be the voice of our brothers and sisters whose dignity has been humiliated.”

The Talita Kum Network, which is specifically dedicated to caring for people wounded by exploitation, is coordinating the event in association with organizations of the Vatican (the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life, the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development and the Pontifical Academy of Science).