c) Religious organizations

Among the actors involved in combating human trafficking, religious organizations play an important role and are very active in victim protection, advocacy and anti-trafficking work.

There are multiple networks of religious organizations active in support of victims of human trafficking, including:

• The Santa Marta Group, a global partnership with representatives of the Catholic Church, law enforcement and international organizations from 30 countries.

• The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) protects and serves uprooted people, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, victims of human trafficking, and migrants regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or nationality.

• The Talitha Kum Network, an international network dedicated to the fight against human trafficking, is active on 5 continents and has members in 92 countries.

• COATNET (Caritas), a global network of Christian organizations that fight human trafficking and assist survivors of modern slavery, and includes 45 Christian organizations (Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox) in 39 countries.

• American Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, a national collaborative, faith-based network that provides training, promotes access to services for survivors, and engages in advocacy to eradicate modern-day slavery.

• Religious in Europe – Network Against Trafficking and Exploitation (RENATE), a network of 139 organizations working in 31 countries.

• The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which works in 52 countries.

• The Association Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII, in Italy, with more than 60 family houses outside Italy.

• African Network Against Human Trafficking (ANHAT).

• Australian Catholic Religious Against Human Trafficking (ACRATH).

• Australian Anti-Slavery Network (ACAN), facilitated by the Archdiocese of Sydney Anti-Slavery Taskforce (CAS).

• SOLWODI (Solidarity with Women in Need), active in Germany, Austria, Romania, Hungary and Africa.

The Order of Malta’s Ambassador for Combating Trafficking, as part of his mandate, has organized a series of webinars dedicated to this phenomenon. Some of them were specifically dedicated to the role of religion in the fight against trafficking.

Many religious groups responded to collaborate and participate in these webinars such as: Sister Mirjam Beike, representative of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (RGS) to the United Nations in Geneva, Don Fortunato Di Noto, Sicilian Catholic priest, president of the Meter Association, committed to the fight against the crime of pedophilia and child pornography online, Sr. Imelda Poole, president of the RENATE Network, etc.

Beyond these webinars, the Order of Malta is committed to the fight against this scourge and prioritizes the prevention of the phenomenon, the identification of victims through the training of the competent national authorities, protection and emergency shelter, and access to justice.

The Order of Malta carries out awareness-raising, training, rescue and integration activities for migrants through its national associations and its worldwide humanitarian organization Malteser International. In cooperation with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, the Order of Malta organized courses on migrant law for Libyan border guards.

The Order of Malta’s active cooperation with governments, international and regional organizations, as well as with civil society and religious organizations and leaders, enables it to act in favor of the victims and the recognition of their condition.

Religious networks are very involved in the fight against trafficking, acting at all levels and in a multidimensional way: advocacy, proximity with victims of trafficking which allows them to identify potential victims, psychological and spiritual help and assistance, especially to women who have suffered trauma. In contact with migrants, refugees, women and children victims of trafficking or in situations of exploitation, their actions are essential.

They have also been recognized by international experts: Mrs. Siobhan Mullaly in the seminar (Migration and Human Trafficking) and Mr. Tomoya Obokata. The latter reaffirmed their willingness to cooperate with all actors, including religious actors. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery has expressly mentioned the fundamental role of faith-based organizations in the fight against slavery, underlining that they carry out very important field work (48th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 9th meeting, 17/09/2021).