A Letter
From the
United Nations by Sister Winifred Doherty, R.G.S.
24
CNEWA.ORG/MAGAZINE
M
y work as an advocate at the United Nations on behalf of trafficked girls and women began after years as a missionary in Ethiopia, where I witnessed firsthand the pain and trauma they experienced. I am a sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, appointed by my congregation 16 years ago to work as an N.G.O. representative to the U.N. The charism of my congregation is to uphold the rights of girls and women, inspired by St. John Eudes, a 17th-century priest who sought to address this same issue in France, through the teaching and the pastoral care of prostituted women. Ending human trafficking is not a simple task. It is complex, multidimensional and intricate. Human trafficking is a violation of human rights and an organized criminal activity with an annual estimated global profit of $150 billion. In my early days in advocacy, I would ask myself: “Where and how do I insert myself in the world of advocacy to make a difference?” My goal at the U.N. has been to create awareness about trafficking among member states and to urge the adoption of policies that address systemic root causes, including poverty and violence against girls and women. I like to explain advocacy to end human trafficking with the scriptural image in Matthew 13:33 of the yeast that a woman mixes into three measures of flour, “until the whole batch was leavened.” Even though she adds only a little yeast, it permeates every part of the dough. So, I seek to influence by presence — a presence that is proactive, networked and relational. However, advocacy is not a solo venture. Advocates against human trafficking must be as well networked as the criminal network. Effective advocacy is always with like-minded people who coordinate for a helpful outcome.