Caritas India expresses her solidarity with the trafficked victims as part of the International day of prayer against Human Trafficking. Designated by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development as a time of remembrance for victims and survivors of labour and sex trafficking, the annual observance coincides with the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita. Caritas India organised a prayer service for the victims of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage, illegal adoptions, forced labour, organs removal, begging, criminal acts.

The Catholic Church around the world honours a great woman on February 8 every year for her faith while facing enormous pain and suffering. She suffered terrible pain of slavery and human trafficking, but she bravely endures those sufferings with faith and love. Josephine Bakhita was born in southern Sudan, but she was kidnapped and sold at the age of nine. Over the next decade, she was sold several times to endure repeated humiliation and beating in form of slavery. At last, she was bought by an Italian family where she discovered Christian faith and followed Jesus Christ. She was recognized as a free person and despite going back to her place, she decided to enter religious life to help others to find freedom what she found in Jesus Christ.  She dedicated her whole life to people and remains a true example of true emancipation and her life inspires all to find freedom in their lives. St. Bakhita is a universal symbol of the Church’s commitment against slavery.

The theme chosen for International Prayer Day 2021 is “An Economy without Human Trafficking.” It brings into the spotlight “one of the main causes of human trafficking: the dominant economic model of our time, whose limits and contradictions are exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Caritas India with its three Partners of Swaraksha Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) Program observed this Day with Prayer & commitment together with different stakeholders & the program beneficiaries. The objective of organizing this special prayer was to create an awareness & sensitize different agencies, stakeholders & beneficiaries working & residing at the Indo-Nepal border to combat Human trafficking.   During the last three years, Caritas India had tried to reach thousand of people through Swaraksha AHT Program creating awareness & sensitizing masses against Human Trafficking. With the Presence at Indo-Nepal Transition point with booth every day several suspected cases are intercepted by the Partners team member & after the formal enquiry, they are stopped to go ahead if they are found to be suspected case of Human Trafficking. The International Prayer Day against Human Trafficking was observed with more than hundred people where they did the prayer for the victims of Human Trafficking for their wellbeing & also oath was taken to commemorate those victims who lost their lives after being Trafficked. School Children were also involved in Prayer & were sensitized against human Trafficking & its different forms as most of the children living at Indo-Nepal border are at the risk of being  Trafficked in the form of Child labour & sex trafficking. Women, border forces, police & other agencies did the small prayer for the well being of Human trafficking victims & pledged that they will be always steadfast towards their duty to prevent & protect the human trafficking victims & rehabilitate them for their good future. Through the Intervention done in the last three years under Swaraksha Anti-Human Trafficking Program remarkable changes took place  at the border now which can be seen  from the presence of the stakeholders & beneficiary for the Prayer Day. An understanding has been developed among them on Human Trafficking issue & Preventive measures are taken in the communities against Human Trafficking. Law enforcement agencies & border forces are also actively involved in Protection part of Human Trafficking cases & more than hundred FIR are registered in Human Trafficking cases & Human Traffickers are booked under different sections of Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act.

International Day of Prayer against human trafficking is a call for the event participants to realize that the Impact of Covid-19 may result in to increase in Human trafficking cases & with Prayers & Commitment actions are also required so that the consequences of the pandemic can be minimized & the human being should not be treated as the commodity who has the price but not the value. During the Pandemic hour, the life of migrant workers was displaced & to revive from the loss of work & money there can be the threat of being Trafficked which must be stopped through awareness, sensitization & different actions.

In the Message from Pope Francis, He highlights the plight of thousands of unaccompanied minors whom he says are particularly vulnerable, asking authorities to show special attention to their needs. He also looks to the International Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Human Trafficking.

He said “This year the aim is to work for an economy that does not favour, even indirectly, this ignoble trafficking, that is, an economy that never makes men and women commodities, objects, but always the aim.,”   & “Let us ask Saint Bakhita to help us with this.”

The International Committee of the World Day, coordinated by Talitha Kum, the network of consecrated life against trafficking in persons of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), in partnership with the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Service to Integral Human Development, Caritas Internationalis, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations, the Focolare Movement and many other organizations involved at the local level, has organized an online prayer marathon for the occasion this year, due to the pandemic, & for the first time, it has allowed bringing together all the realities in the world that are committed against trafficking in persons.

On International  Prayer Day against human trafficking, we all pray to God Almighty. Keep your grace in the lives of all of us, as we are all watching, thousands of people have lost their jobs from the Pandemic &  at present, we see problems everywhere  & In such a situation, we all want to pray to God that in this difficult circumstances, all those victims of human crimes like human trafficking, women violence, domestic violence, child labour, child marriage, child abuse may peace come in the life of the trapped people, happiness come. O Almighty God, you can do everything.

May your mercy remain on all of us, protect us from all social and natural problems. The community in which we work should also be protected from all problems. O true and omnipotent God, you have helped and helped us so far that we have been able to do the tasks for which I thank you very much.

We all take this oath today on the occasion of World Prayer Day against Human Trafficking &  request everyone to do their duty with Passion, Dedication, and Honesty without any discrimination, as well as raise voice against any kind of crime in the community, strengthen and empower the oppressed people of society. We will try our best for doing this.