The US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking Advocacy Working Group has prepared a Toolkit for World Refugee Day, highlighting the connection between the plight of refugees and their vulnerability to human trafficking. Men, women, and children are made vulnerable to human trafficking by the mass displacement caused by violence, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises, natural disasters, and conflict. Impoverished, vulnerable people are targeted by traffickers who promise to provide education and opportunity only to exploit them through forced labor, sexual exploitation, enslavement, or organ theft.
We invite you to take action on June 20, World Refugee Day to #StopRefugeeTrafficking.
1) We are asking you to make calls to your senators asking the senators to support the bipartisan bill, S. 1580. Here is a sample script, talking points, and a link to the bill. https://bit.ly/2Jmg51T
Call your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the bi-partisan S. 1580, “Protecting Girls’ Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act.” You can find your Senators’ contact information here. Alternatively you can call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office.
Suggested Script:
I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN] and as a person of faith [and a Catholic sister], on World Refugee Day I urge you to do all that you can to protect and support refugees and to ensure that our country fulfills its legal and moral obligation to welcome refugees.
Today, more than 22 million people have been forced to flee their countries to escape violence, persecution, or natural disasters. More than half of these refugees are children. Refugee children, especially girls, are vulnerable to human trafficking, early marriage, and forced labor. Providing opportunities for education is one way to reduce their risk of being trafficked.
You can support refugee children by co-sponsoring the bi-partisan S. 1580“Protecting Girls’ Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act.” This bill will help to ensure that refugee children, especially girls, have access to education that will strengthen and empower them.
I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN] and as a person of faith [and a Catholic sister], on World Refugee Day I urge you to do all that you can to protect and support refugees and to ensure that our country fulfills its legal and moral obligation to welcome refugees.
Today, more than 22 million people have been forced to flee their countries to escape violence, persecution, or natural disasters. More than half of these refugees are children. Refugee children, especially girls, are vulnerable to human trafficking, early marriage, and forced labor. Providing opportunities for education is one way to reduce their risk of being trafficked.
You can support refugee children by co-sponsoring the bi-partisan S. 1580“Protecting Girls’ Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act.” This bill will help to ensure that refugee children, especially girls, have access to education that will strengthen and empower them.
2) View the World Refugee day Campaign materials on the USCSAHT website for additional action items.
3) Resources to help you plan to #StopRefugeeTrafficking:
- Backgrounder on connection between refugees and human trafficking.
- Social media content for use on Facebook and Twitter.
- Stories of refugees and trafficking survivors.
4) Additional resources from our friends and colleagues:
- World Refugee Day 2018 Toolkit from Justice for Immigrants Campaign (JFI).
- Refugees Welcome Toolkit from Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC).
- Refugee Council USA’s World Refugee Day Tool Kit.
- Global Week of Action, June 17-24, from Share the Journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment