ACRATH needs to raise $200,000 by July 30 to sustain its current programs assisting and advocating for victims/survivors of human trafficking. IMAGE: ACRATH website.
Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) has called for support from the faith community as it launches a fund-raising drive to sustain its range of programs and continue helping victim/survivors of human trafficking.
New President of ACRATH, Sr Clare Condon SGS, sees one of the big challenges facing ACRATH is the need for financial stability and sustainability.
“I believe in the ministry of ACRATH and the need to address the human rights and dignity of all people, but particularly those people who are trapped by modern slavery and unjust employment, especially children across our world,” she says.
“We rely on donations from very generous people and religious orders.
“The staff are constantly looking for grants from governments and private bodies to support particular projects. It's demanding and taxing work.”
ACRATH needs to raise $200,000 in the coming weeks until 30 July - UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - to sustain its current programs.
This year ACRATH needs funds to advocate, educate, contribute to change and support the victims/survivors, building on work done through the pandemic.
ACRATH representatives are about to meet with members of the newly-elected Labor Government advocating for:
● A National Compensation Scheme for Victim/Survivors of Modern Slavery
● A National Labour Hire Licensing Scheme
● A Ratification of International Labour Organisation Convention 189 – Decent Work for Domestic Workers (2011) and
● An Increase of Australia’s ODA to 0.7% of the Gross National Income, meeting Australia’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals 2015 - 2030.
ACRATH’s education programs in schools and the wider community continue using resources developed and delivered by staff and volunteers across the country – most recently to students training to be teachers at Notre Dame University in Perth.
Frontline health workers at St Vincent’s Health Australia, in partnership with ACRATH, work to better identify people who might have been trafficked and who present at the hospitals.
Staff now know the appropriate referral pathways. Staff from St John of God Hospitals are also being trained by ACRATH in areas of human trafficking and modern slavery and referral pathways for victim/survivors.
Several months ago, after more than a decade of advocacy, ACRATH was able to help 22 men from the Pacific finally receive an Act of Grace payment as redress from the Federal Government for the exploitation they suffered in Australia while employed under the Seasonal Worker Program.
Donations can be made at: https://acrath.org.au/donate/