Each year, Zonta International observes World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30. Another year has gone by since the last World Day and again, thousands of victims have fallen into the hands of traffickers. Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking and migrant smuggling, either as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims.
For every 10 victims of trafficking in persons detected globally, five are adult women and two are girls. Zonta International is an organization building a better world for women and girls and promoting justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Eliminating trafficking in persons is critical to enabling women to achieve their full potential and live in a world without fear of violence.
To address this heinous crime and abuse of human rights, Zonta International has released a Statement on Trafficking In Persons: A Human Rights Issue, and calls upon governments to, among other actions:
• Take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of trafficking in women and girls (within or across borders) and to prevent exploitation of women and girls.
• Support a stronger role for women in leadership and decision-making roles, which will contribute to better and more peaceful societies that are less prone to the threats posed by trafficking in persons and exploitation and shift the paradigm from women as victims, to women as powerful agents of change.
• Involve civil society, businesses and trafficked persons in the development of national plans of action.
• Engage with local communities and grass-root organizations to raise awareness and prevent trafficking in persons in local communities.
The Zonta Club of Riverside addresses human trafficking by hosting educational meetings to raise community awareness and partnering with advocacy groups like i5freedomnetwork and The SOAP Project. Through these initiatives, members distribute essential supplies containing the National Human Trafficking Hotline to high-risk local venues to help victims.
Debbie Waltzer, the president of the Zonta club of Riverside stated at our last meeting after a powerful presentation by Stacey Enmeier, from the i-5 Freedom Network, ”Human trafficking is a devastating violation of human rights that hides in plain sight, which is why the Zonta Club of Riverside is dedicated to raising local awareness and partnering with groups like yours to protect the vulnerable and empower survivors.”
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) calls to “reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind.” Zonta International and the Zonta Club of Riverside stand with the UNODC, and we will work together so that every victim is brought out of this injustice.
The Zonta Club of Riverside thanks the community for its current support as they stand up for all trafficked victims and calls on others to join them in taking steps to prevent and eliminate trafficking in persons as we, together, build a better world for women and girls.