The Vatican reiterates its concern about the scourge of human trafficking

Human trafficking constitutes a serious violation of human dignity and the international community must not remain insensitive to this scourge, according to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.

The Holy See firmly maintains that “trafficking in human beings must be counted among the serious violations of human dignity,” the delegation said at the 56th regular session of the Human Rights Council on “Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, Geneva”, June 27.

The delegation also highlighted the plight of migrants, stressing that those “who risk their lives at sea, in search of a welcome and a better life, should not instead be faced with exploitation and death.” The delegation also deplored the fact that human trafficking, both on land and at sea, often goes unnoticed. “We must not remain apathetic in the face of this tragic and global scourge,” the Holy See appealed, asking that “it is time to reject such a culture of indifference, which desensitizes us to these realities and erases the humanity and inalienable dignity of those who are exploited.

Affirming God-given Dignity

People living in extreme poverty, the Holy See warns, “are most likely to fall into the trap of human trafficking and slavery; It is therefore our collective responsibility to help them find a safe place where they can find peace of mind, soul and body, and flourish.” The text deplores “the lack of international cooperation and the lack of willingness to assume responsibility at the local, national and international levels”, which often contribute to the lack of protection of migrants at sea.

“Faced with this terrible reality, we are called not to remain paralyzed, but to deploy all our efforts in the fight to prevent trafficking and to affirm the God-given dignity of all victims of such human rights violations . »

The delegation also deplored the weakening of values ​​and relationships, noting that it “erodes the social fabric and has deleterious effects on families.” They stressed “the urgent need for States not only to adopt laws that effectively combat this attack on the dignity of women, but also, as the Special Rapporteur rightly points out, to provide practical support to victims of prostitution and to address the underlying causes of this violence. »

“Prostitution should never be considered “dignified” work”

Two days earlier, on 24 June, during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, the Holy See delegation spoke about the harsh reality of prostitution. It quoted Pope Francis, who often describes prostitution as “a wound to the collective conscience,” condemning it as “a disease of humanity” in that it exploits a woman as a commodity to be used and discarded.

“Prostitution should never be considered “dignified” work. Rather, it is an abuse committed against these women and girls, who often find themselves in situations of poverty and great vulnerability and feel that they have no other choice,” noted the delegation.

“In the context of continued and widespread growth in the commodification and exploitation of women and girls, prostitution being one example, my delegation also remains concerned about the growing importance and use of surrogacy and, in this regard, would like to ask if you might consider exploring this practice in the course of your work,” the statement read.

The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations system. Its 47 states are responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the world.