Stop the Traffik to Tour in 2007

Stop the Traffik, a global coalition of organisations working together to stop human trafficking, has planned a UK-wide tour for early 2007 to raise awareness of the plight of women and children who are victims of human trafficking.

The Stop the Traffik tour will call for change and freedom for those caught up in the tragedy of human trafficking.

The tour is a partnership between the Stop the Traffik Global Coalition, Compassion UK and Cargo. A multi-media presentation on human trafficking will be shown in 11 UK cities will include songs from the singer/songwriter Paul Field who has written "Cargo - the fight for freedom past and present". The piece uses words, music, dance and images to tell the story of the abolitionists and also to raise awareness of contemporary slavery and its links with poverty and fairtrade.

Marion White, organiser of the Stop the Traffik tour, says, "While 2007 is the year in which we commemorate and celebrate the anniversary of the end of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, we want to draw attention to the challenges we face at present in the ongoing travesties such as human trafficking."

Members of the Stop the Traffik coalition are pressing governments and the UN to bring about a change in legislation and policies that will ensure that vulnerable men, women and children are protected from human trafficking. The coalition will continue to raise awareness of the tragedy of human trafficking - what many are calling the slave trade of today - and call for change and freedom.

Steve Chalke, Founding Director of Oasis and Chair of Stop the Traffik, says, "Human trafficking is the fastest growing global crime affecting every continent. It is time for us to Stop the Traffik. Throughout the coming year the global coalition will celebrate liberty and commit to bringing freedom to all men, women, and children affected by people trafficking."

Stop the Traffik is currently working in four key areas:
Education: Creating awareness and understanding of the subject, capturing people's imaginations and inspiring them to act
Advocacy: Showing people how they can make a difference and helping put pressure on authorities and governments to take action.
Fundraising: To finance new projects by organisations working with trafficked people across the world e.g. safe houses & vocational training
Freedom Day: Focal day for tens of thousands of local events organised by coalition members and supporters around the world on 25th March 2007.? Freedom Day will not so much be a celebration of history as a drawing of inspiration from the black and white champions of the past for the challenge of the future.

In other news, 7,000 people across Mexico joined in 17 sessions run by Concerned Women for America's Beverly LaHaye Institute to train for leadership in combating sex trafficking in their country.

The sessions, part of the institute's Bridge Project, were sponsored by the US State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking.