On March 17, three major religious groups came together at the Vatican to sign a comprehensive new agreement against trafficking in persons, including trafficking in women for prostitution. The new accord, which launched the Global Freedom Network, was signed by representatives of the Vatican, the worldwide Anglican Communion, a prominent Sunni Muslim leader in Cairo, and the Walk Free Foundation. The joint document outlines the purpose of the Global Freedom Network, which is to inspire all faiths to come together and “eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking from our world and for all time.”
The new initiative proposes concrete action to engage governments, corporations, universities, and religious institutions in condemning and eradicating modern slavery from supply chains and investments. It also calls for improvements in the detection, reporting and prosecution of human trafficking, and in responding to the needs of trafficked persons. Such global efforts are key to addressing “[t]he physical, economic and sexual exploitation of men, women and children [which] condemns 30 million people to dehumanization and degradation.”
Compiled from: Glatz, Carol, Vatican, Anglicans, Muslims sign accord against human trafficking, Catholic News Service (March 17, 2014); Vatican and Al-Azhar sign joint statement against human trafficking, Vassallomalta, Catholic World News (March 17, 2014).