May 1st, 2009 
Cherie Blair and Steve Chalke next to a display of their new book released today, STOP THE TRAFFIK: People Shouldn’t Be Bought & Sold.
As I mentioned, I had the great honor and pleasure of meeting Cherie Blair, English barrister, Women’s Rights Advocate, and wife of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It was inspiring to hear all that the United Nations, the Salvation Army, and other groups are doing to fight human trafficking. Mrs. Blair contributed a chapter to Steve Chalke’s new book which was released today, STOP THE TRAFFIK: People Shouldn’t Be Bought & Sold.
I was also excited to meet Steve Chalke, who spoke about his book, and the two NGO’s which he founded. The first is Oasis, which has been pioneering life-transforming housing, healthcare, education and youth work initiatives in eleven countries across five continents, with some of the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities for over twenty years. The second is STOP THE TRAFFIK, a global movement working to combat the fastest growing global crime, people trafficking. Around the world men, women and children are being treated as commodities—something to be bought, sold, and enslaved. STOP THE TRAFFIK has more than 1000 member organizations in 50 countries, and a grass roots following of ordinary activists around the world. They believe that when people act things change, and are working in the areas of education, advocacy and fundraising. In February, Steve was appointed as a special advisor to the UN’s Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (GIFT).
I highly recommend that all my readers purchase this book. The biggest challenge in stopping human trafficking is awareness. Most people think that we got rid of slavery years ago, but unfortunately that is not the case.
Human Trafficking in all its forms is a $32 Billion a year business! We can see from all the sugar-free, organic, green, animal-testing- free products that corporations DO pay attention to the consumer. We can vote with our pocket book, and force change to happen on the “Demand side” of this problem. We can reduce the number of slaves by reducing our demand for child pornography, 14 year-old prostitutes, illegal adoptions, illegal organ transplants, Hershey’s and Mars chocolate made from cocoa beans picked by beaten child slaves, and oriental rugs made by 7-year olds.
Yes, we may have to pay more for coffee, cocoa, cotton, rugs, t-shirts, Firestone tires, and NIKE sneakers, but by demanding that corporations do the due dilengence and not turn away from the evil in their supply chain, we will not only insure that a real living wage will be paid in 3rd world nations, but we will once again be able to compete globally and create manufacturing jobs once again in the United States. Our greed for cheaper products has come as a result of the blood, sweat and tears of poor youngsters around the world, and at the expense of our neighbors across America who have lost their job due to factories closing.
Please buy this book and learn what is really going on in our world. Do not turn away! Other things you can do to help:
Purchase rugs with the Rugmark Certified Rugs and Carpets.
Check this list to see if chocolate you’re buying is Slave-free.
Check out Equal Exchange and other sites for fairly traded products such as coffee, cocoa, tea, nuts, and chocolate.
- Miss A
In my work in West Africa, I continually see the devastating results of child trafficking and other similar practices, so I agree completely. Slavery must become a thing of the past. People should not be bought and sold.
One of the practices that I find most devastating is the traditional West African practice called “trokosi” or “vudusi” or “ritual servitude.” Basically it’s when young virgin girls are forced to serve in traditional shrines to become “wives of the gods”. Since the priest’s sexual organs are dedicated to the gods of the shrine, in practice it means they become his sex slaves–even girls as young as 4 years old. The life these girls endure is beyond description. I remember after I interviewed one of them for the first time, I felt as if I had lifted up the lid on the very pit of hell to peep inside.
Congratulations to all who work to end slavery and human trafficking at every level.