By: Sr. Sarah Muhindo and Felex Sengiyunva

Religious Sisters of the Holy Cross have launched the Anti – Human trafficking campaign in Kasese diocese.

The Anti – Human trafficking campaign was launched on Sunday 23rd June 2024 by the Religious Sisters Of the Holy Cross under their Umbrella , Association Of Religious In Uganda (ARU) in the Diocese of Kasese during a gathering that aimed at sensitizing community members about the rising cases of human trafficking, in Kisinga.

This activity attracted a massive audience after the anti-human trafficking committee had made partnership with Kasese Guide Radio. The network used Kasese Guide Radio staff to stage a live local play , commonly known as “Omukekera” against human trafficking which attracted thousands of people that was their target audience to pass their information.

Sr. Semerita Mbambu , Diocese of Kasese during the launching exercise, asked the young people and those who have fallen victims of human trafficking, to get skilled courses within their home country that will help them to sustain themselves than going to oversees for jobs where they end up being mistreated ,and others murdered.

The Association of Religious Sisters In Uganda ,ARU is running various religious networks funded by the Conrad Hilton Foundation, where The Anti – Human trafficking network and campaign lies, spearheaded by the Sisters Of the Holy Cross who have formed different committees in all the Nineteen Catholic Dioceses In Uganda.

The United Arab Emirates is a destination country for men and women that are mostly trafficked for the purposes of labor according to research.
Women from Uganda, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Pakistan, and the Philippines travel willingly to the U.A.E. and Arab states of the Persian Gulf to work as domestic servants, but some subsequently face conditions of involuntary servitude such as excessive work hours without pay, unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their employers.

 In 2014 March, Pope Francis launched the Interfaith Global Freedom Network to fight human trafficking with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby and initiated the Santa Marta Group, an international coalition of senior law enforcement chiefs and leaders of the Catholic Church working with civil society to end human trafficking. He also developed the #End Slavery movement to investigate how human trafficking can be eliminated.

Catholic social teaching proclaims the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of all human life.  Each person is made in the image of God, is loved immeasurably by Him, and has inherent worth.