“Human trafficking is a grave crime against humanity. It is a form of modern day slavery and a profound violation of the intrinsic dignity of human beings. This outrage should concern each one of us, because what affects one part of humanity affects us all.
“If we are to combat this evil then we must work together to prevent the crime, support the survivors and prosecute the criminals. The knowledge that churches have of their local communities puts them on the frontline in this campaign.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby
Freedom Year 2018
This year we have released a calendar to take us on a journey to find out more about human trafficking and modern slavery, pray for change, and take action to end it.
The calendar is available to download here.
We will be building up to a month of focused prayer and advocacy in July – Freedom Month – which we invite you and your church to join us in. This culminates in the International Day against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July.
We hope that this year you will be encouraged to connect with people around the world, to learn from each other, and to recognise the crucial role that churches play in the fight against human trafficking.
Follow the links below to find out more about each month’s activities and prayer points. And please share your experiences of the year with us on social media using #ChurchesAgainstTrafficking.
Introduction
Welcome
February
Theme: Prevention
March
Focus on: Africa
April
Focus on: North America
May
Theme: Protection
June
Theme: Humanitarian contexts
Focus on: Europe
August
Theme: Prosecution
Focus on: The Middle East
September
Theme: Partnership
October
Focus on: Asia
November
Theme: Policy
Focus on: The Pacific
December
Focus on: Latin America and the Caribbean
The 7 Ps
This is a holistic strategic framework to help churches see where they can best engage their abilities to tackle human trafficking. Churches can see where others are working and how they can add value. With their grassroots presence across communities, every church can respond.
- Prayer
To cover all. Praying individually and corporately to see change and seek God’s guidance and blessing on the work.
- Prevention
Awareness raising in churches and communities; reducing demand (e.g. for cheap goods and services based on slave labour) and reducing vulnerability to trafficking.
- Protection
Provision to get victims out of slavery; safe houses; meeting immediate needs, shelter and long term rehabilitation, preventing re-trafficking; reunification and repatriation or resettlement.
- Prosecution
Referral for legal advice; accompaniment of survivors through the legal process.
- Partnership
With other churches and other agencies – NGOs, governments, UN.
- Policy
Advocacy at local, national and regional level to see effective policy and legislation agreed and implemented to achieve system change to prevent/reduce trafficking
- Participation
Encouraging the individual and corporate response in all parts of the churches, including marking Freedom Year and Freedom Sunday.
The Clewer Initative
The Church of England has launched a project to enable dioceses and wider church networks to develop strategies for detecting modern slavery in their communities, and help to support survivors.
The Anglican Alliance is working with The Clewer Initiative to connect the anti-human trafficking work of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and share learning to end modern slavery once and for all.
Freedom Sunday
Churches around the world come together once a year in a global day of worship, prayer and action to stop human trafficking. Freedom Sunday is usually marked on or around 2 December, which is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. But we encourage churches to raise awareness on any Sunday of the year.
Join Freedom Sunday to raise awareness of the crime of human trafficking and show compassion for men, women and children who are trafficked and exploited.
Have you and your church marked Freedom Sunday or taken other action against human trafficking? Share your story!