Catholic Relief Services applauds increased anti-trafficking efforts by Administration; calls for reauthorization of Trafficking Victims Protection Act
Baltimore, MD, September 26, 2012—Catholic Relief Services commends the Obama Administration for calling attention to the global scourge of human trafficking and enhancing efforts to combat it.
As President Obama noted, nations must commit to addressing the underlying forces that increase the likelihood that people will fall victim to trafficking. “No one should suffer from the indignities of forced labor; we must reduce the risk of trafficking as well as respond when trafficking has occurred,” stated Bill O’Keefe, Vice President for Advocacy and Government Relations at CRS.
“Whether by working with local schools and companies to provide better education and job opportunities for young women in Moldova, or with companies in Brazil to sign a pact against slave labor; CRS has implemented more than 100 projects around the globe to prevent trafficking and protect human dignity,” he continued. CRS applauds the public-private partnership announced today to address trafficking. Furthermore, streamlining the T-visas for foreign victims of trafficking in the United States is critical for their protection and healing and for halting perpetrators.
To further US leadership, Congress should reauthorize the now-expired Trafficking Victims Protection Act. It should include provisions to reduce the risk of trafficking, particularly in humanitarian emergencies; increase transparency in international supply chains; and provide conscience protections for faith-based service-providers.
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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in need in nearly 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org.
CONTACT:
John Rivera
Catholic Relief Services
(410) 951-7399
john.rivera@crs.org