Our Eradicating Human Trafficking Committee, along with representatives of other Rotary clubs in the Guelph-Wellington Cluster, has hosted a series of 5 online webinars, the final one for 2021 having been held on November 30th. Guest speakers were Jerry Nelson, the Thailand coordinator for the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, and Michelle Seets of Texas, President-Elect of the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking.
It became very obvious to all attending that this issue is worldwide and a growing concern and area of focus for Rotarians. The aim of the speaker series has been to raise awareness and the profile of the issue. Work is now underway to determine "next steps" and direction as we turn the corner to 2022.
The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking is the first club to tackle this problem and has created a template that can act as a model for any Rotary Club wanting to address the issue in their community. Human Trafficking is a global issue and the members of this club that meets virtually come from all over the world. Anything a Rotary Club can do to alleviate any of the risk factors identified (eg. poverty, lack of education, homelessness etc) is making a difference!
The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking is the first club to tackle this problem and has created a template that can act as a model for any Rotary Club wanting to address the issue in their community. Human Trafficking is a global issue and the members of this club that meets virtually come from all over the world. Anything a Rotary Club can do to alleviate any of the risk factors identified (eg. poverty, lack of education, homelessness etc) is making a difference!Rotary International 2021-2022 President Shekhar Mehta has declared one of the goals of his year as President is to empower girls to reduce their vulnerability to being trafficked. A key to doing that is to raise awareness of the issue and in particular the root causes, and in particular the specific needs of the community as determined from consultation with agencies like police departments.
An online photo album with screenshots from the 5 sessions is now available on the club website home page (look for the "Photo Albums" frame).
For more information: Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking https://endhtrotryclub.org
Rotary Action Group Against Slavery https://ragas.online/get-involved
