On Human Dignity

On human dignity

“Every human being, man, woman, boy and girl, is made in God’s image. Therefore, modern slavery, in terms of human trafficking, forced labour and prostitution, and organ trafficking, is a crime against humanity.”

Pope Francis Dec 2014

Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It causes unimaginable misery and suffering to those who are dehumanized, become commodities that are bought, sold, abused.  The human dignity we take as a birth right, which is central to Catholic Social Teaching and enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is denied to millions of people.  More people are currently victims of human trafficking and slavery than at any time in history. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 40.3 million people globally are living in slavery.