ZWCR commemorates International May Day 2011 by talking about labor, women's work and human trafficking. Human Trafficking involves the act of recruiting, transporting, transfering, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them.Zonta International identifies human trafficking as a global issue and has developed programs to increase awareness and advocate for legislation at local levels across its membership. At the 56th Zonta International Convention in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2002 , members adopted UN Protocol A/RES/55/25 and resolved to support the ratification of the resolution to eradicate trafficking in persons. Clubs across the globe work diligently to leverage support for legislation and take action in their communities.
On Zonta Women's Community Radio we speak on the air with Shelby French, Executive Director of the International Organization for Adolescents http://www.iofa.org/ in Chicago about their work creating Taskforces to eradicate trafficking on the local level. IOFA launches partnerships between law enforcement, community organizations, and social service agencies to combat human trafficking.
What can you do NOW? Support federal legislation like S. 596, the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 and ask your Senators to co-sponsor the legislation. Ask businesses to sign onto “the Code,” an agreement by businesses to increase the protection of children from sex tourism. Read more about this issue and the UN's Blueheart campaign http://www.unodc.org/blueheart/en/about-us.html, and Join Zonta to work on this important issue in your community.
