WFWP Central London, UK's Tackling Human Trafficking event

WFWP Central London/UK hosted an event to connect with the UN Day of Families 2018, on the theme ‚ Modern Day Slavery - Tackling Human Trafficking’. This event was to raise awareness about the plight of women including young people who are affected by human trafficking, and also to support the work of the UN with focus on the MDGs 2030 (Millennium Development Goals 2030). It was a collabration with other organizations - One in Four and ECPAT, and took place on 15 May, 2018 in Lancaster Gate, London.

Asma Ahmed was the MC for the forum of 4 speakers and the Q&A time at the end of the evening. Human trafficking is almost as old as human history and having chosen this topic brought up deep emotions in the audience of women, young and old.

Our first speaker was Baldip Kaur, author and artist. She recently published her book ‘Fanish’.

Baldip has researched the global issue of human trafficking and modern day slavery, which is still escalating and is also a big business, as background to write about. Her book is a novel but a very emotive issue for all of us.

The next speaker was Bharti Patel, Chief Executive Officer with the charity “ECPAT”, a leading children’s Rights charity campaigning to protect children from child trafficking and transnational child exploitation. This global phenomena is a demand led industry, a trade - bought and sold to make profit.

Global collaboration among organizations is needed to bring a solution.

Her charity offers training courses for professionals across all public service sectors, how to identify and respond to child labour in supply chains and the challenges coming with it and best practice in

interviewing refugee children and victims.

To carry out their campaigning and training they work in collaboration with organizations, charities, schools, health service providers, police and others. She concluded that we all as concerned individuals need to be aware of the signs around us.

Michelle Dennis Brown, representing the ‚One in Four’ charity was our next speaker. Her organization is helping to prevent suicide and provides support and resources for people who have experienced sexual/domestic abuse or violence at any age. She explained that statistically it is know that 1 in 4 are groomed in all kind of situations.

Her organization works with schools, dinner ladies, teachers; they conduct workshops in classrooms, engage with students. Their education deals with the nature of relationships, emotions, meaning of consent etc. Michelle also pointed to the signs that are there to see when we focus our concern and we truly listen.

Tina Coombs, advisor to WFWP UK, concluded by explaining about the core values of the WFWP. The family being the primary institution for stability and progress in any society. We need to clean up society and our communities by establishing true family relationships rooted in the realm of heart. Tina’s concern was also for the dignity of women, how we may empower women to realize their true value.

At the end of a poem ‘Slavery in our Time’ was read by Lynn Bradley.

There was time for questions from members of the audience and speakers were helpful, informative and sincere to answer the concerns. As we concluded with refreshments questions were still asked and opinions expressed.

Reported by Christa Rennie WFWP London/UK