A look at Modern Day Slavery: Human Trafficking
We believe that everybody, anywhere, has the right to an enslaved life. However, millions of children and adults are enslaved in every nation on the planet right now. Slavery in the modern era refers to the systematic abuse of others for personal or economic benefit. Modern slavery is all around us, but it is mostly hidden from sight.People can become entrapped making our clothing, serving our food, picking our crops, working in factories, or working as cooks, cleaners, or nannies.
Mr. Bill Woolf
Here’s why the Rotaract Club of NIBM (RID 3220) brought up the initiative to create an awareness webinar with regards to Human Trafficking. Our incentive was to create an impactto our local community and globally.
Also, this initiative wasn’t done alone, our affiliate international Rotaract club was Rotaract Club of Madhyapur Nepal (RID 3292) and our resource partner was The Roads to Right organization.Affiliated organizations contributed their support effortlessly and was truly driven to create awareness.
The Human Trafficking project commenced on 15th May 2021. Via Zoom and live streaming on Facebook through our official club page.And the webinar was addressed by three professional dignitarieswho are working towards to put an end to modern day slavery. Our panelist: Mr. Bill Woolf -Director of Human Trafficking programs U.S Department of Justice Washington DC,Ms. Kezban Yagci Sokat- Assistant Professor of Business Analytics, Lucas Collage. Graduate School of Business San Jose State Universityand our final panelist Mr. John Kapitzke – Homeland Security Investigations.
Ms. Kezban Yagci Sokat
The moderator for our webinar is a quintessential activist here in Sri Lanka. He is Mr. ArithaWickramasinghe –Lawyer, Human rights Activist, Equality Law Director at Iprobono.Along with Mr. Aritha and his great moderating skills, and his outgoing personality, the webinar was alive and a comfortable area for our panelists to share their experience in handling
Human Trafficking related cases. More over the impact our panelist made to our viewers to learn and gain deep theoretical knowledge with the modern-day slavery occurring all around the world.
More than 180 participants were registered to the webinar and a significant number of audiences were joining live through Facebook to witness and to gain knowledge from the webinar. Our participants were from all around the world and many fellow Rotaractor’s from our community.
During the webinar, the most highlighted question was how children, women and men are being slaved around the world and in every community?
Mr. John Kapitzke
“From the outside, it may appear to be a normal job. However, people are being controlled – they may face violence or threats, be forced into insurmountable debt, or have their passport revoked and are facing deportation. Many people have fallen into this oppressive trap simply because they were attempting to escape poverty or insecurity, improve their lives, and provide for their families. They are now unable to leave.” Was the response given from our panelist due to the common cases of slavery being reported was mainly focused on Economically deprived individual’s in society.
Mr. Bill Woolf also mentioned that “The reality is if we only focus on the after effects, if we only focus on being reactive to Human Trafficking, we will never bring and end to this.” Which was an insightful yet something to think of. We need to take actions against human slavery and provide a help in hand to our society while identifying victims. Ms. Kezban Yagci Sokat added to it with a statement “Trying to work on before, rather than after by educating, can prevent potential targets from becoming victims and become a solution to the problem.” Which justified Mr. Bill’s statement.
Our project, along with a network of like-minded organizations, worked to liberate people who were enslaved or at risk of being enslaved in modern slavery. We are determined to reform the social, economic, legal, and political structures that allow people to become enslaved, so that people can live without fear of being cruelly exploited. Rotaract Club of NIBM, Rotaract Club of Madhyapur Nepal and The Roads to Right organization successfully concluded the webinar. Participants sent their best regards and mentioned positive feedbacks for conducting such initiatives.
Mr. Aritha Wickramasinghe
Rtr. Ravindu Welgama, our club’s president, provided a brief remark.
“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.”- Abraham Lincoln.
With immense pleasure, I pen these words down for the project ‘Modern day Slavery.’ In 1865 the world officially abolished slavery, ensuring freedom to all humans regardless of their skin color, ethnicity or race. But after all these years, does everyone feel the same level of freedom in their lives? Unfortunately, no. Thus, the Rotaract Club of NIBM initiated this project to spread awareness to the communities worldwide, which at this moment the least we could do. Even in Sri Lanka, there’s a huge portion of people who are mistreated. Human trafficking can be varied from procuring labor or child labor to the commercial sex act. As Rotaractor’s, we may not be able to extinct human trafficking worldwide, yet we can help to start from somewhere. And I am proud and honored to say we helped to initiate that.” Last not but least we are grateful for our organizing committee: Rtr.Ravindu Welgama, Rtr. Dulana Nirovin, Rtr. Vishal Selvaraja, executive committee and board of Directors for the support given throughout the initiative.
Rtr. Nathalie Hettiarachchi
Rotaract Club of NIBM
Project chair