Talitha Kum Sri Lanka – Women Awake Forum
Talitha Kum International is part of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), and coordinates the Anti-Human-Tracking efforts, facilitating networking, communication, and formation, according to the strategic planning of the UISG and the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church. All people of good will join hands with both religious men and women, who share the same vision regarding anti-human-tracking. All these groups are linked to the Conferences of Major Superiors at the national levels in contributing to our needy world according to the signs of the time.
Sr. Bernadette Sangma, Union of Superior General (UISG) and Mr. Stefano Volpicelli of International Organization of Migrants (IOM) came to Goa, India in November 2009, guided the women religious of South Asia – Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India in November 2009.
Talitha Kum was founded in 2009. It arose from the shared desire to coordinate and strengthen the existing activities against human trafficking undertaken by consecrated persons in the five continents.
Talitha Kum is committed to empowering more anti-human trafficking in persons (ATIP) advocates, especially the consecrated and lay persons to respond to the challenge to end human trafficking.
Networking:
Globally, Talitha Kum is functioning in 92 countries, in the 5 continents: 14 in Africa, 17 in America, 18 in Asia, 41 in Europe, and 2 in Oceania.
At the National level, networks of Talitha Kum are functioning in 44 countries: 9 in Africa, 15 in America, 11 in Asia, 7 in Europe and 2 in Oceania.
At the regional level, networks are functioning in 7 regions: 1 in Africa, 3 in Asia,
1 in Europe, and 2 in Latin America.
Our Identity:
The main objective of Talitha Kum Sri Lanka is to responsibly and creatively implement the decisions taken in 2001 by the USIG at their Plenary Assembly which invites us:
- to address the serious issues of abuse and sexual exploitation of women and children with particular attention to the tracking of women which has become a lucrative multinational business;
- to work in solidarity with others within our own religious communities and at the inter-congregational level, in the countries in which we are located.
Talitha Kum Sri Lanka is under the umbrella of the Conference of the Major Religious Superiors of Sri Lanka (CMRS). The President of the CMRS is the chair-person, and four Major Superiors who are appointed by the CMRS act as the Advisory Council. They are responsible for all the communications between the CMRS and Talitha Kum Sri Lanka.
Our Goal:
We the Religious of Sri Lanka, inspired by the Compassionate Love of Jesus who liberates the oppressed, commit ourselves to eradicating Human Trafficking.
Objectives:
- To promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and children
- To protect and promote the human dignity of vulnerable groups and underprivileged women/ children, especially the victims of sexual and other forms of abuse.
- To collaborate with Religious Congregations, Organizations, and institutions, Networking with them, and pooling together human and material resources.
- To network with the Commission for JPIC of CMRS.
Our Strategy:
Talitha Kum Networks are strong Bond for PREVENTION and EMPOWERMENT mainly on education, public awareness raising and PARTNERSHIP with Collaborators.
Our Focus – Mainly on Prevention and Protection of the Victims
- Creating awareness programs for students/parents/teachers etc.
- Training workshop for religious conducted by IOM/ Talitha Kum.
- Celebrating Women’s Day events.
- Providing assistance for migrant workers and their children.
- Conducting awareness programs for the prevention of sex abuse.
- Conducting workshops on human trafficking, promoting the rights of children and women
- Continuation of sharing information with other networks in other continents.
- Providing psychosocial assistance for those who are caught up in child marriages.
- Providing livelihood support
Organigram:
