In the opening speech Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the new Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, reminded the assembly of the special commitment of Pope Francis against the terrible "scourge" of human trafficking and inviting all to create networks to coordinate actions and prevention programs to stop Trafficking.
 

In fact it is estimated that, over the past thirty years, approximately 30 million children have been involved in trafficking and among them 20% are girls and 8% boys, numbers which are increasing every year. Even though it is crucial to continue to support the victims, and children in a special way, religious women who are looking after trafficked women and children, feel it is time to focus on catching the traffickers. It is necessary to create a strong group to lobby for stiffer penalties against those who traffick. This is probably going to be the next frontier for Talitha Kum, the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking of people.
 

S. Mariaelena Aceti