Did You Know?
- The wretched living conditions to which refugees, asylum-seekers, and displaced persons are subjected, combined with punitive measures enforced against them by countries with whom they seek safe haven (such as detention), make this population a prime target for human traffickers who exploit their desire for safety, work, and belonging.
- Education is a key component of avoiding human trafficking, which refugee children, especially girls, are lacking.
- Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than their non-refugee peers.
- Only fifty percent of all refugee children attended school prior to the pandemic
- For every ten refugee boys in primary school, there are fewer than eight refugee girls.
- For every ten refugee boys in secondary school there are fewer than seven refugee girls.
- Research shows that refugee girls are less likely than boys to return to school after a disruption in their education, such as that of the pandemic.
- “It is unlikely that refugee women will be a priority” in post-pandemic rebuilding efforts, leaving them even more vulnerable to exploitation.
What Can You Do?
- Read about the AMSSND/Beyond Borders Teacher Training Initiative here; Donate to the Water catchment systems that enable families to grow food, stay healthy, and keep their children safe from domestic child labor trafficking here.
- Donate to the UN Refugee Agency education fund
- Volunteer to tutor refugee children
- Urge your representatives to support refugees and pass the Grace Act (HR 2146/S 1088) that would set a minimum annual Presidential Determination goal of 95,000 refugee admissions (United States)
- Participate in the Refugees Welcome public opinion campaign (Canada)
- Be a conscientious and informed consumer. Find out more about who may have picked your tomatoes or made your clothes at ResponsibleSourcingTool.org, or check out the Department of Labor’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. Encourage companies to take steps to prevent human trafficking in their supply chains and publish the information, including supplier or factory lists, for consumer awareness.
- Be well-informed. Set up a web alert to receive current human trafficking news. Also, check out CNN’s Freedom Project for more stories on the different forms of human trafficking around the world.
Prayer
You share the journey
with migrants and refugees,
lightening their footsteps with hope.
For you, Lord, are close
to the broken-hearted.
Pour out your Spirit
upon world leaders.
May they see the tragedies
of our human family,
and be moved to respond with
wisdom, compassion and courage.
Open our eyes and hearts
to the God-given dignity
of all your people.
Move us to welcome our neighbors,
and so bear witness to your love.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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