In a message sent yesterday, April 3, 2017, to the 17th Conference against the Trafficking in Persons, which began on Monday and ends today in Vienna, Pope Francis called for the eradication of the trafficking in persons, which is one of the most shameful phenomena disfiguring the face of modern humanity.
Father Michael Czerny, Under-Secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, read the Message on behalf of the Holy See, intervening in the summit promoted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
It is necessary to act with determination to eradicate the trafficking in persons, “which represents one of the most shameful phenomena that disfigures the face of modern humanity,” he wrote, describing as shocking and scandalous the discovery that the trafficking in persons happens in all countries and is “one of the most lucrative businesses of the planet.”
It is “a form of slavery, a crime against humanity, a grave violation of human rights, an atrocious sore, which must be condemned even more so when it involves children,” continued the Pontiff.
The Pope exhorted that all possible efforts be made to make people aware of this sore and to coordinate better the legal and social efforts geared to rescuing millions of children and adults.
The Pontiff also called for commitment to impede so many persons being victims of the trafficking and enslaved. The Successor of Peter ended his message hoping for the success of the Conference, in order to put an end to the crime of trafficking in human beings in the 34 countries of the OSCE.
In his intervention, Father Czerny highlighted three points: to prevent trafficking, to protect the victims and to prosecute the criminals, because the human person, with his inestimable value, is at stake.
