Posts Tagged ‘Human Trafficking’

September 22, 2012: 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation

Monday, September 24th, 2012

2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, an original of which – signed by Abraham Lincoln – hangs with honor in the Oval Office.

On September 22, 1862, President Lincoln announced his intention to order the emancipation of slaves in any confederate state that refused to return to the union.  None did, and on January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.  The thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution at last made slavery illegal throughout the United States in 1865.  A long-festering national wound that divided America and helped provoke what was at the time one of the bloodiest Civil Wars in human history was finally closing.

Unlike any other nation, Canada had a prominent historical role in the end of American slavery.  The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century slaves to escape to free states and to Canada, with the aid of abolitionists and allies sympathetic to their cause.  Figures vary, but as many as 30,000 slaves may have made their way to Canada.  They formed the beginnings of communities in Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Southern Ontario that exist to this day.

150 years ago, Canadians and Americans seeking to liberate people from oppression and bondage worked together to change history.

We have an opportunity to do it again.

There are still people held in servitude around the world.  Human traffickers hold as many as 27 million men, women, and children in compelled service, the modern form of slavery.  This trafficking in persons is a crime that affects every country in the world, including the United States and Canada.  Victims of human trafficking are subjected to violence and fear.  They cannot walk away.  But we can help them escape.The United States and Canada, along with many other nations, are committed to ending modern slavery wherever it exists.  Through prevention, prosecution, and protection – the “Three P Approach” — more victims are rescued and more traffickers are prosecuted each and every year.

We’re making progress, but we need help.  Government cannot do it alone.

So to meet this goal, we will need the fourth P—for partnership.  Ending modern slavery will require a wide range of partners: civil society, the faith community, the private sector, and committed individuals like you.

Celebrating the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation serves to remind us of two things: the evil of slavery, and the noble work of righteous people who put a stop to it.   We should take inspiration from that great work of good to reaffirm our shared commitment to the enduring cause of freedom around the world.  The United States and Canada have been stalwart partners in that cause, in North America and around the world.  I hope everyone will join us in taking a stand for freedom.

DJ

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Posted in September 2012 |

July 9, 2012: the 219th anniversary of Canada’s abolition of slavery

Monday, July 9th, 2012

Guest Blogger: Luis CdeBaca, United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

On this date in 1793, the First Parliament of Upper Canada passed the Act Against Slavery, making Upper Canada the first British territory to enact an abolition law. John Graves Simcoe, the colony’s lieutenant governor, was moved by the story of a young woman in slavery who had been forced to leave Canada and sold into slavery in the United States.  But when he heard this story, he didn’t just dismiss it as a problem that couldn’t be fixed.  He decided to do something about it.  Even though several of his colleagues were themselves slave owners, Simcoe didn’t relent until an agreement was reached that would begin to phase out the system of legal slavery in Canada.

History is peppered with similar stories, of leaders whose drive and courage finally tipped the balance in favor of a freer and more just world.  In the United States, as we approach the 150th anniversary of the end of legal slavery in our country, we honor those who fought and died to secure freedom for those who were enslaved and for future generations.

But looking around the world today, we see that the adoption of laws and policies banning slavery did not necessary result in theendof slavery.  Indeed, as many as 27 million men, women, and children live in a state of modern slavery, what we sometimes call trafficking in persons.  This crime takes many forms—women promised jobs as domestic workers only to find themselves trapped and abused; men on fishing boats forced to labor long hours for no pay; children prostituted in brothels.  Whatever the form it takes, human trafficking is a crime and an offense to all the efforts throughout history to eradicate slavery.  And just as so many courageous leaders over the centuries said slavery was intolerable, modern abolitionists in governments around the world are recommitting themselves to this struggle.

That’s why over the last 12 years, so many countries have adopted laws designed to fight slavery in its modern form.  The U.N. adopted the Palermo Protocol, which laid out the 3P’s of fighting human trafficking—prevention, prosecution, and protection.  As the United States’ annual Trafficking in Persons Reporttells us, we’re making real progress in this struggle.  More victims are being identified, more trafficking cases are being prosecuted, and more innovations for protecting survivors are being put to use.

The United States is proud to partner with Canada to lead this fight.  On a recent visit, I had the pleasure of meeting with a number of leaders in the Canadian government who are committed to eradicating this scourge once and for all.  And with the announcement of a new national action plan, Canada is showing the international community what an effective anti-trafficking strategy looks like.  This sort of commitment is precisely what’s needed to advance in this struggle.

The progress we’ve made should give us great optimism that the vision of John Graves Simcoe—the vision of so many people throughout history who fought against slavery—is within reach.  Their accomplishments and sacrifices must continue to inspire us as we move forward with this work, and we must be driven by a common commitment to build a world free from slavery.

 

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Posted in July 2012 |

June 8, 2012: Canada’s National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Last January, the U.S. Embassy, and my wife Julie, brought renowned photojournalist Mimi Chakarova and her award-winning film, The Price of Sex, to Ottawa to highlight the tragic destruction of trafficking in persons. While the film focused on the grim brutality of sex trafficking, the reality is that there are many kinds of trafficking, including forced labor and domestic servitude. The US and Canada are committed partners in the worldwide combat against these horrific practices that destroy human dignity. And that’s why I and the whole U.S. government welcome the release Wednesday of Canada’s National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking. It establishes a robust and impressive framework to coordinate law enforcement and awareness efforts, and introduces new initiatives to prevent trafficking, prosecute traffickers, and create new partnerships with civil society and other countries. The U.S. government and the American people are proud to join hands and forces with the Government of Canada and all Canadians, and work together to wipe out this scourge of modern-day slavery.

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Posted in June 2012 |

January 11, 2012: Ottawa

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

Yesterday I attended the Ottawa premiere of “The Price of Sex”, a documentary film by renowned photojournalist Mimi Chakarova. In the film Chakarova, who was born in Bulgaria and emigrated to the United States in 1989 after the fall of Communism, documents the horrors of sex slavery in her former homeland and other countries in Eastern Europe.  After earning the trust of victims over the course of many years, she was allowed to film several of the girls and young women affected by human trafficking as they recounted their heartbreaking and horrifying firsthand accounts.  She also put herself into incredible danger by going undercover into the sex clubs where the women were being exploited.  For this work, she was awarded Human Rights Watch’s 2011 Nestor Almendros Award for Courage in Filmmaking.

Hundreds of thousands of young women have been tricked into sex slavery. Many of them are single mothers, trying to support their families, and they jump at the promise of decent jobs elsewhere doing work such as waitressing or factory work.  In fact, they become a commodity in the same illicit market that includes trafficking of narcotics and arms and they are treated with unbearable cruelty and indifference.

It is almost inconceivable to me that human beings could treat others with a level of cruelty that, were they to treat a dog like this, would land them in jail in the United States or Canada. The film opened my eyes to the scope and scorching pain of the human trafficking problem. While it is difficult to watch – you should see it. Ask your local library to obtain a copy of the film, or go to www.priceofsex.org to view an extensive multi-media presentation of her work.  The best weapon against this blight is awareness.

Filmmaker Mimi Chakarova speaks at Ottawa screening of "The Price of Sex".

Afterward there was a lively Q & A session with Chakarova.  Julie and I then joined her for dinner, along with representatives of organizations in Canada and the United States including Human Rights Watch and Equal Voice as well as some of the people in the U.S. Embassy who work every day at combating human trafficking. We were able to continue the discussion about various aspects of the sex trade and possible solutions.

The President and Secretary Clinton have both forcefully condemned human trafficking as modern-day slavery and made its eradication a high priority.  I’m glad that our Embassy was able to contribute to the very important effort to educate and inform the public about this issue.

DJ

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Posted in January 2012 |

January 3, 2012: Human Rights

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Guest Blogger: Julie Jacobson

Next Tuesday, the Embassy will partner with Human Rights Watch, Equal Voice and the Nobel Women’s Initiative for an important awareness event about human trafficking.  Award-winning documentary filmmaker Mimi Chakarova will be in Ottawa to present her harrowing documentary “The Price of Sex.” 

Bulgarian-born Chakarova and her family immigrated to the United States in 1990 following the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe.  The film follows her return to her home a decade later and her discovery that new opportunities in the West left many of the old communities impoverished and without hope.  One tragic consequence was that hundreds of thousands of young women left their homes to follow a dream of economic security for their families, only to find that they had been tricked into a nightmare of sexual slavery with no hope of escape.

In the documentary, Chakarova follows the trail of these “disappeared women,”  forming relationships with several over a period of years.  She elicits their heartbreaking stories; even taking the extraordinary risk of going undercover in the sex clubs.

“The Price of Sex” has been shown around the world to critical acclaim and has received the Nestor Almendros Award for Courage in Filmmaking.  It casts a desperately needed spotlight on this worldwide crisis.  I’m proud, as an American, that my country has taken a leading role in trying to stop this cruelty.  Secretary of State Clinton has called it a modern form of slavery, and an affront to our values.  I couldn’t agree more.

The film is open to the public free of charge at The Library and Archives of Canada, 395 Wellington Street, at 2:00 pm on Tuesday January 10.  Following the screening, Mimi will answer questions from the audience.

To attend, please send an RSVP email to cultural@state.gov

Julie Jacobson

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Posted in January 2012 |

June 28, 2011: Trafficking in Persons Report

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Yesterday, the State Department released its 11th annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery that subjects countless men, women, and children to forced sexual or labor bondage. There is no country in the world that is immune from this scourge, including, sadly, Canada and the United States. This report, which was mandated by the United States Congress, is a comprehensive evaluation of the efforts of governments throughout the world to combat severe forms of human trafficking. It serves as the primary diplomatic tool by which the U.S. government engages with other nations on this issue and encourages increased efforts in the fight against forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery.

I feel a personal connection to this issue because last summer my daughter volunteered to serve with an organization that fights against human trafficking. Through her work, both she and I learned more about the horrific toll that human trafficking takes on women, men, and particularly children. I am proud that my government has taken a leadership role on this key human rights and law enforcement issue. Canada has been a strong partner with the United States in the fight to bring human traffickers to justice and in helping victims of trafficking recover from their ordeal.

I am pleased to say that this year Canada maintained its Tier I ranking in the Trafficking in Persons report, as it has for the past eight years. This ranking recognizes that Canada fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is in that category of countries that is most committed to combating this criminal activity. In particular, in the past year the Canadian government increased prosecutions of traffickers, toughened punishments for child trafficking, and raised societal awareness about trafficking. The report also includes an evaluation of the U.S. government’s own anti-human trafficking efforts. As the report makes clear, there is still a lot more that both of our governments can do to eliminate trafficking in persons. If you are interested in learning more about human trafficking, or in joining the fight against this form of modern-day slavery, I encourage you to review the report, and then get involved in your community to raise awareness and help the victims of this cruel practice.

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Posted in June 2011 |

November 25, 2010 – Ottawa

Friday, November 26th, 2010

November 25th wasn’t just the American Thanksgiving; it was also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  Fifteen years ago today, the UN held a conference in Beijing and heralded the connection between women’s rights and human rights.  Since then, November 25th has been a special day to celebrate efforts world-wide to reduce, and eventually eliminate, gender-based violence. 

I feel a personal connection to this issue.  My daughter volunteered last summer with an organization that helps fight against human trafficking.  Through her work, both she and I learned about the tragedy of gender-based violence in general, and human trafficking in particular.  Sadly, in the United States, one out of every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.  Worse, in some countries that statistic is almost three out of every four women.

Here at the Embassy, we’ve been part of the U.S. government’s efforts to end gender-based violence.  In April, our Public Affairs section brought expert Beth Feder to Ottawa to speak about different types of domestic abuse and to share programs and approaches to combating violence against women.  We are also working to include men and boys in this issue. 

Melanne Verveer, the U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, is hosting a conference at the State Department which will also include a webchat online Monday called “Changing Attitudes: What Men and Boys Can Do to Address and Prevent Violence Against Women.”  I encourage you to join in the discussion.

This isn’t just a “women’s issue” – as Secretary Clinton reminded us, “women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights.”

DJ

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Posted in November 2010 |