The Intersection of Homelessness and Human Trafficking

In addition to UN Bill C-15, another issue on the UN agenda related to our Congregation de Notre-Dame priorities is the relationship of homelessness to human trafficking. It is reported that over four million people are trafficked every year, 80 percent of whom are women and girls and 90 percent of whom are sexually exploited. One of the UN Developmental Goals was to establish a working group for Affordable Housing and Social Protection, as it was apparent that homelessness was a key factor in the vulnerability of those who were prey to the designs of human traffickers. 
UNAMINA International, the UN – based coalition of 22 Religious Congregations, of which the Congregation de Notre-Dame is a member, presented to the UN Committee on Social Development a country-by-country analysis of homelessness: "Hidden Faces of Homelessness." Homelessness has become a "chronic" condition and its long-term effects have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Let us not imagine that it isn't happening close to most, if not all, of us. 
May those of us who are able, help these vulnerable people in our midst and write letters, sign petitions and pray in support of those who are experiencing a lack of affordable housing and all the trauma associated with that. We think especially of those who are forced to make unfortunate decisions because their options are so limited. I am sure we see on our newscasts and in our newspapers every day reports that bring to our attention this reality, although we may not be aware of its connection to human trafficking, nor of its presence in areas and among people known to us. 
(Major Resource: UNANIMA INTERNATIONAL:2021 "The Intersection of Family Homelessness and Human Trafficking; "A Webinar produced by UNANIMA INTERNATIONAL.)