November 30, 2007

Ambassador Francis Rooney on International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, November 30, 2007

For Immediate Release

On Sunday, December 2, men and women of conscience will speak out in support of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. But there will be millions whose voices we will not hear. They are the victims of human trafficking – about 80 percent of them female, and up to half of them minors. They have been forced to flee poverty, kidnapped, or tricked into a life in which they are denied the freedom to move and live without fear of abuse, rape or deprivation.

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See has worked to enhance awareness of this issue with the Vatican, as well as with faith-based communities worldwide. Our most recent effort, a week-long Training Seminar conducted in October in partnership with the Italian Union of Major Superiors (USMI), brought together more than 30 nuns active in the field of human trafficking in 26 countries. The event allowed for extensive sharing of best practices among participants and gave birth to the International Network of Religious Against Trafficking in Persons (INRATIP) – the first network of its kind.

The United States is deeply committed to supporting such efforts. In Fiscal Year 2006, the United States spent roughly $74 million to fund 154 projects in 70 countries supporting foreign government and NGO efforts to combat human trafficking. In that same period, the U.S. Government spent more than $28 million for anti-trafficking projects at home.

December 2 is not only a day of reflection, but of action. The United States stands ready to partner with anyone committed to putting an end to this modern-day slavery, which we strive to banish forever to the pages of history books.