23 February 2006
SLAVERY AN OLD PROBLEM THAT IS STILL WITH US
The issue of human slavery is not one confined to the past. The number of people (mainly women and children) trafficked around the globe each year is estimated at between 700,000 and 2,000,000. Accurate figures are difficult to obtain due to the illegal, clandestine nature of the activity. Trafficking involves every country in the world, including Australia, where it is estimated that up to 1000 people at any one time may have been trafficked into our country.
Trafficking in human beings involves issues of human rights, global health and organized crime, however it also raises the issue of poverty, the major underlying reason why people become involved in trafficking in the first place.
Most people who are trafficked are done so for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Trafficking therefore raises issues for wealthy countries whose citizens largely create the demand. For example Australians have been identified as sex tourists in 25 countries and an estimated 40,000 women will be 'imported' to Germany for the purpose of prostitution to satisfy demand during the World Cup later this year. See the Coalition Against Tafficking of Women website.
The Australian Government has recently committed $20 million to combat trafficking but concerns remain that the approach is too narrowly focussed on a legal approach to addressing the issue.
The Christian Brothers are one of the groups who have endorsed the Australian NGO Shadow Report that was recently presented to the UN CEDAW (Convention to Eradicate All forms of Discrimination Against Women) Committee on behalf of an anti trafficking working group established by a group of Religious Congregations.
Public meetings are scheduled for Melbourne, 7.30pm Tues 7th March in Room 101 B&C in the Diocesan Centre, 383 Albert St, East Melbourne and Sydney 7.00pm Tue 14th March, Gleeson Theatre, ACU, Barkers Rd, Strathfield to address issues relating to this report.
The trafficking of women to Australia is also the focus of the next Edmund Rice Schools Justice Seminar on March 3rd where a presentation will be made by representatives from Project Respect.
Trafficking in human beings involves issues of human rights, global health and organized crime, however it also raises the issue of poverty, the major underlying reason why people become involved in trafficking in the first place.
Most people who are trafficked are done so for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Trafficking therefore raises issues for wealthy countries whose citizens largely create the demand. For example Australians have been identified as sex tourists in 25 countries and an estimated 40,000 women will be 'imported' to Germany for the purpose of prostitution to satisfy demand during the World Cup later this year. See the Coalition Against Tafficking of Women website.
The Australian Government has recently committed $20 million to combat trafficking but concerns remain that the approach is too narrowly focussed on a legal approach to addressing the issue.
The Christian Brothers are one of the groups who have endorsed the Australian NGO Shadow Report that was recently presented to the UN CEDAW (Convention to Eradicate All forms of Discrimination Against Women) Committee on behalf of an anti trafficking working group established by a group of Religious Congregations.
Public meetings are scheduled for Melbourne, 7.30pm Tues 7th March in Room 101 B&C in the Diocesan Centre, 383 Albert St, East Melbourne and Sydney 7.00pm Tue 14th March, Gleeson Theatre, ACU, Barkers Rd, Strathfield to address issues relating to this report.
The trafficking of women to Australia is also the focus of the next Edmund Rice Schools Justice Seminar on March 3rd where a presentation will be made by representatives from Project Respect.
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