On 29 May 2024, the Marist Foundation for International Solidarity (FMSI) and the Secretariat of Solidarity of the Marist Brothers’ Institute hosted an online event entitled “Unveiling Modern-Day Slavery: A Marist Event for Awareness and Action.” The webinar brought together a range of speakers to discuss the issue of modern slavery and report on projects carried out on the ground. It also highlighted support from CCIG especially to empower local actors in their advocacy undertakings with the UN human rights system.
The webinar began with an introduction by FMSI General Director Andrea Rossi, who emphasized the right of children to be heard and to participate in matters of their human rights. Ángel Diego, Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity of the Marist Brothers’ Institute, then presented on means of detecting and addressing modern slavery. He focused on the use of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism to directly involve the most vulnerable in advocating for their rights, providing examples of UPR submissions they made on the human rights situation in Portugal, Costa Rica, and Kiribati and Fiji.
Mauricio Siñaniz of the Marist Brothers in Bolivia next spoke about the definition of child labor as labor deprives children of childhood and about the rates of child labor in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The next presentation focused on the Children’s and Women’s Rights in Bolivia Project, which was implemented together with CCIG, with the financial support of Misean Cara and Missio. Reflections on the project included the importance of conducting outreach to marginalized children and youth, listening to children long-term, and acting as an accompaniment to working children and adolescents, allowing them to share their needs and be actors for their rights.
Next, Esperanza Flores Bautista, the former president of the Union of Child and Adolescent Workers of Bolivia (UNATsBO), spoke about her experience working from a young age and becoming involved with UNATsBO. After becoming a national coordinator for the organization in 2021, she worked to coordinate the first march for the dignity of working children and adolescents in Bolivia, held meetings with authorities, and worked on the program for the protection of children. In 2022, UNATsBO was contacted by the Marist Foundation, which offered support in forming working groups with the ministry of labor and alliances with other local organizations.
Junel Pierre of the Marist Brothers of Haiti then presented to promote the right to education of children and young people through offering educational and training opportunities for children and vulnerable youth, as well as supporting the teachers and the parents.
Virgirio Bwalya of the Marist Brothers of Bangladesh then discussed the work of the Marist Brothers to address the human rights situation in the tea gardens of Sylhet, including by providing quality, low-cost educational programs. Thanks to training and logistical support from CCIG and FMSI, as well as funding from Misean Cara, the Marist Brothers participated in the 2023 UPR review of Bangladesh, and their advocacy work surrounding human rights violations in the tea gardens has raised awareness of the need to reducing rates of violence against children.
Finally, to conclude the session Andrea Rossi emphasized the commitment of Marists to protect children and reiterated the importance of empowering children as active protagonists in advocating for their rights.
For more information the project carried out by the CCIG together with its members, please visit: https://ccig-iccg.org/projects/