Marches and Masses in more than 30 African countries were organised to raise voices against human trafficking, marking the feast day of St Josephine Bakhita on Saturday. Source: OSV News.
February 8 honours the Sudanese-born patron saint of human trafficking victims and serves as a focal point for prayer and awareness activities.
In a powerful display of unity, the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network organised events throughout the continent under the theme “Restoring Hope in Africa: A Jubilee Call to End Human Trafficking.”
The joint International Organization for Migration, International Labor Organisation and Walk Free Foundation’s 2022 report estimated that 50 million people were victims of modern slavery in any given day in 2021.
Out of these, an estimated 27.6 million people were in situations of forced labour and another 22 million people were in a forced marriage.
A substantial portion of this number originated or passed through Africa, where human trafficking is a plague.
Sr Yvonne Clémence Bambara, regional coordinator for Africa of Talitha Kum, said an estimated 25 per cent of global human trafficking crimes may be taking place in Africa.
Talitha Kum is the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking.
Sr Yvonne said the $US150 billion ($240bn) trade is driven in Africa by a multiplicity of factors, including poverty, terrorism and conflict, which lead to forced migration, exposing people on the move to physical and sexual exploitation.
“This situation is exacerbated by the influence of foreign powers plundering African countries, slowing down our development agenda and exposing communities to the threat of human trafficking,” she said.
February 8 marches were accompanied by Masses, prayers, meetings with community leaders and elders, as well as awareness campaigns to educate the public about the challenges of human trafficking.
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African Catholics join forces against human trafficking in unprecedented campaign (Ngala Killian Chimtom, OSV News)
