Anti-Trafficking Hub Minutes October 2017

Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2017 at Anglican Alliance

Hub Co-Chairs:

Anne Gregora, Salvation Army, Anne.Gregora@salvationarmy.org

Emma Tomalin, University of Leeds, E.Tomalin@leeds.ac.uk

• Attendees listed at the end of the post

Agenda details: 

11. 11 am-11.15 am: Introductory session (led by Anne Gregora) Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI)
    • Brief Introductions
    • Background to the JLI (Rachel Carnegie) JLI Flyer

International collaboration on the role of Local Faith Communities in development and humanitarian aid

• Focused on evidence of impact & effectiveness of FBOs to local relief & dev issues
• Resilience hub 3-year cycle included literature review followed by interviews to develop scoping study and then dissemination to various forums including side event at WHS

Key Questions: How does it help the policy environment and How does it help practitioners to be more effective

• Anti-Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery Hub (AHT) started on the premise that there is not enough evidence on the role of religion and local faith communities that can be used for policy & shared w/ practitioners
• Concept note

Terms of Reference overview

• JLI overall, What already exists, What we don’t know- Framing questions are structured under 6 P’s – how to respond to trafficking

Why are you interested in joining the JLI AHT-MS Hub?

• Innovation, new & different ideas – exchange of knowledge; differences in approach of different groups especially disagreements
• improve impact & excellence
• how do FBOs (all faiths) work with govt & UN agencies, linking results to dev strategies & policy -communicating where it needs to be heard
• academic publication
• role of religion in preventing and supporting trafficking
• listening to survivors and perpetrators to understand context, anti-pornography
• Chab dai longitudinal project links- FBO support in aftercare of survivors & spirituality (prayer, connecting with God)
• US Barna reports (but only specific to pornography); need other regional reports
• sex trafficking

Expectations:

• Interaction with others interested in AHT-MS, researchers & with other sectors
• connection locally & globally: involving researchers from local countries through existing coalitions & networks
• mapping & prioritise under-represented countries
• how to link the JLI hubs together
• how to create and develop a community for reflective practice and still create a space for practitioners to policy & academics
• Supporting FBOs in trafficking response
• recruit PhD students

What we know

• Fragmentation, siloed by region and issue; many focus on only one aspect of trafficking (ie sex trafficking); definition issues (ie bonded vs child labor)
• Gap between advocacy & academic
• Religious vs institutional structures differ, trafficking in refugee & protracted conflict,
• refugees increased vulnerability in humanitarian situations; also, stricter immigration control => risk for trafficking

What we need to know

• role of trafficked persons along the journey & distinct faith actor role
• Patterns that differ by region & religious community
• Interfaith approaches
• LFCs interaction on criminal acts (need to ensure safeguarding: how to ensure safety of those mobilized aren’t at risk -bring in criminologists?)
• Survey faith-based attitudes towards trafficked persons,

Framing Questions:

Prevention:

• Careful of framing regarding children
• FBO engagement w/ supply chains & fair trade
• Faith based orgs & actors &
• Child labor & changing domestic norms
• Include something about root causes; gender inequality- long term objective would be to compare & ensure that rich understandings of “root causes” of trafficking need to form part of strategy discussions by pertinent government departments and partners

Protection

• Training & background check FBOs for work w/ vulnerable populations (also involvement of police in this – Churches Child protection advisory service) & challenges of doing that in places where that isn’t ‘normal’ e.g. phoning previous employers

Prosecution

• Ensure safeguarding and sensitivity is included; Sharing best practice
• Relationship between protection & prosecution

Policy

• There are a wide range of policies that would indirectly affect trafficking (ie housing) is this included in the term policy?

Partnerships

• Interfaith network in rome; eval impact- did those efforts filter down to faith-based comms
• Concerned about focusing to much on micro & macro levels; how to ensure these levels are connecting
• Recognize interfaith partnerships & nuances especially when engaging at UN level

Participation

• Ensuring agency of FBOs is integrated
• What’s the influence of faith on practitioners in their own work contexts? Ex business sector, law etc. does this faith make a difference: Positive deviation research

1.30-3 pm: Planning the next steps (led by Emma Tomalin)

Scoping Study Plans

Introduction of scoping study possibilities

• Targeted lit review, grey lit and case studies from members of hub, interviews with practitioners
• Role of hub members in scoping study: writing case study, case studies contributed from members, fill in geographic areas
• Explore thematic scoping studies
• Dissemination and call for further research

Discussion: What will it include, how will it be done, who should do it?

• Key informant interviews based on lit review that identifies gaps and key categories- consider the context; reflective practitioner mapping on the ground
• Global focus with epicenters (ex. Philippines, Thailand, central south america)
• Advocacy vs evidence- genuine gaps in knowledge & disagreements
• FBOs role in policy
• Ensure lit review includes gray lit
• Refugees, migration and trafficking intersection, how FBOs have worked with survivors & response, inclusion of minority faith groups & how they engage with anti-trafficking efforts- use of trafficking language, symbols and concepts.
• How are faith groups working in stable countries (drivers of trafficking)
• Need to include minority religions (ie hindu),
• Use HTP DFID study model
• Get info from local actors in countries themselves, but also partner academic partners in the south.
• How do FBOs hinder vs healing survivor work
• Looking for partners or students to help w/ work
• Labor in the gulf has impact in e asia, sri lanka, mid east
• Refugee crisis- Rohingya & E Africa

Who’s missing & Other

• Indigenous practitioners w/ lack of resources
• Consider a Twin base in global south- Cambodia, Thailand hub- next in-person
• Others to invite: Santa marta (catholic) st mary’s, Rene cassin , Simbata- braynard prince, Sikh – apex body, Apostleship by the sea

What’s next?

• Next meeting: Terms of reference revised w/ scoping proposal
• In meantime, survey existing members
• Hub website on JLI – aht-ms.jliflc.com
• Call for resources on faith, trafficking and modern-slavery

Attendees

For any questions please email Stacy Nam, Programs & Knowledge Manager- stacynam@jliflc.com