At its February 2007 Business Meeting, members of the Women’s Alliance voted to adopt “Human Trafficking” as a project for study and advocacy. The matter was brought to the Alliance by a small study group searching for a suitable topic that would help to implement one of the purposes of the Alliance bylaws that reads:

Members of the group were: Carolyn Jackson, Mary Ann Lang, Peggy Montgomery, Marion Stano, and Hanan Watson.

The topic of human trafficking has a long history in our denomination. As the taskforce reminded us, “In the 19th century, Unitarian and Universalist women worked hard to abolish slavery. 21st century UU women could do the same.” The topic is particularly appropriate for the Women’s Alliance since 80% of trafficking today involves girls and women, especially in the sexual and domestic areas. Alliance women and other groups within the church could provide the necessary skills for various social actions, such as counseling, advocating victim assistance and fundraising, as well as obtaining support for enforceable anti-trafficking legislation.

The project will have its first airing at the Alliance’s Spring Luncheon on May 5, which will center around this topic and showcase the following speakers:Representative Carolyn Maloney, who will speak about the legislative aspects; Carol Smolensky of EKPAT-USA who will address the global, national and local effects; and Peggy Montgomery, a member of the UU-UNO Board of Directors, who will supply the UU perspective.

The luncheon follows the UU-UNO’s 2007 Annual Intergenerational Spring Seminar held on April 12-14, the program of which is titled: “Stop Modern Day Slavery: Breaking the Web of Human Trafficking.” Other women’s organizations in the city are sponsoring activities centered around the trafficking problem too and our efforts at All Souls can build on their work, already in progress.