I had the privilege to attend the Talitha Kum’s 2nd General Assembly held in May, at Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, Rome which marked its 15th anniversary this year. Representing RENATE along with 6 others, I was one of the 4 FMM sisters out of the 160 delegates (religious, laity, young people and survivors). The Talitha Kum sisters and their collaborating partners came together to listen, dialogue and share to continue their commitment and strategically tackle modern slavery. In the opening speech, Sr. Abby Avelino reminded us to embrace the Talitha Kum identity and to work towards strengthening the TK network. At the assembly, we listened carefully to the voices of survivors of human trafficking and included them in our research and discernment of Talitha Kum’s future steps in the five years to come. It was a powerful experience with a real impact on us and on our work. The programme was extremely rich but let us take a look at this event from an ecological point of view.
A clear priority articulated in the Talitha Kum final declaration was the call to action; to collectively work to dismantle and disrupt the complex systems that facilitate Human Trafficking. This can only be done by empowering women, children and youth towards a more equitable and just society. Integral to this strategy is the need to campaign and advocate for safe migration routes for all. But before considering such advocacy, we should look at the reasons why so many people are on the move. Our concern is not only the economic reasons for migration, but migration itself, which is a direct result of the environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity that precipitate the scourge of climate change. We need to remember that those first and most affected (women and children) by climate change are also those who contribute least to the conditions that lead to such climatic changes.
Climate change and displacement are increasingly interrelated. As extreme weather and environmental conditions worsen with global warming, they contribute to multiple and overlapping crises, threatening human rights, increasing poverty and loss of livelihoods, straining peaceful relations between communities and, ultimately, creating conditions for further forced displacement. When people are forced to move, they become vulnerable to people-smugglers and human traffickers. These incidents of human trafficking following sudden or slow onset disasters demonstrate the need for a planned response to address this cross-cutting issue. In general, human trafficking can be an unintended but direct consequence of migration when there is absence of government support and management after disasters or in the face of slow onset events.
This year’s theme of the Season of Creation “To Hope and Act with Creation”, calls us to restore hope inspired by our faith. we are called to act for change, to restore our relationship with nature, to build right relationships with each other and with our planet. Thus, by active combat against climate change, conscientization, bearing witness to responsible consumption, living up to the promise of the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, we become closer to the most vulnerable, the victims of human trafficking. We must live simply so that others may simply live. This must be our mantra if we are to give life to the most vulnerable. This must be our calling card when we call on governments, institutions and others to make the difficult choices that will benefit the poorest, those furthest behind. We need to go further if we are serious about catching up with those who risk falling further behind. Perhaps we should now ask ourselves why so many people are so far ahead?
A clear message was sent to all participants: we can be the agents of real change for those who are in greatest need. I will do whatever I can howsoever little it may seem; what about you?
Sr. Joanna Lipowska fmm
