Commitment to #EndModernSlavery comes ahead of UN’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30th
SAINT LUCIA, JULY 12TH – The Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) is joining Rani Hong, a survivor of child trafficking and CEO of the Freedom Seal Global, in going blue to show their commitment to end modern slavery and human trafficking. The commitment from the CAB comes ahead of the United Nations’ World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, to be marked on July 30th.
Since 2014, July 30th has become a day for individuals and organisations to commit themselves and their communities to end modern slavery. The Blue Heart campaign is increasingly recognized as the international symbol against human trafficking, and a global awareness raising initiative to fight human trafficking and its impact on society.
The United Nations General Assembly designated July 30th as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons following a request from Rani Hong in 2013 to dedicate a day every year to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.
According to estimates from the International Labour Organisation, there are 40 million individuals enslaved around the world, and this illicit ‘industry’ is worth in the region of $150 billion a year. As the voice of the financial sector within the region, the CAB has a vital role to play in helping its members understand their role in ending modern slavery and in creating a culture of zero tolerance to human trafficking.
CAB members and bankers around the region are therefore encouraged to wear blue on Friday, July 29th in commemoration of the World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, and to share photos of themselves and their teams. Banks are also invited to display the Blue Heart on their social media pages, and to use the hashtags #EndModernSlavery, #EndHumanTrafficking and #CABCares to demonstrate their commitment to raising awareness of human trafficking.
“The Caribbean must unite to stop the scourge of human trafficking in every form,” said Wendy Delmar, CEO of The Caribbean Association of Banks. “We must be the voice of the affected, and we must be the voice of the oppressed. We are the voice of the financial services sector, and we stand ready to support World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and to end modern slavery.”
Rani Hong is a survivor of child trafficking and a former special advisor to the United Nations; she has been a leading voice in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking for more than 23 years.
“The financial services sector has a crucial role to play in identifying the red flags and suspicious transactions associated with laundering the proceeds of human trafficking and modern slavery,” said Rani Hong, former special advisor to the UN and CEO of The Freedom Seal Global. “With the help and support of the Caribbean Association of Banks, we can raise awareness of these issues and advance best practices in the region and in the process create a world in which every person has the right to human dignity.”
Note to editors:
TO SUPPORT THE BLUE HEART & THE FREEDOM SEAL CAMPAIGN: Follow the campaign on social media channels and use the hashtags #WorldDayAgainstTraffickingInPersons; #AdoptTheSeal #EndHumanTrafficking on social media; Place Blue Heart banners / links to the https://www.thefreedomseal.com web page on your website; Use the Blue Heart logo in your newsletters, or on your awareness-raising materials (see logo specifications here: https://www.unodc.org/blueheart/en/-campaign-tools.html).
About Rani Hong:
Rani Hong is a survivor of child trafficking and former special advisor to the United Nations. Rani is a leading voice in the fight against modern slavery and for more than 23 years has been committed to helping organisations understand their exposure to modern slavery and human trafficking. In 2019, Rani founded the Freedom Seal Global, a certification program and marker of trust for companies and individuals committed to ending forced labor. For more information visit: www.thefreedomseal.com
About the Caribbean Association of Banks:
The Caribbean Association of Banks is the voice of the financial sector within the region, with over 80 members made up of commercial banks, service partners and central banks within the region. It services members from as far North as Haiti and the Bahamas to Suriname in the South, with a total asset base of just over USD$80b.
Contacts:
Paul Sandell
Director, Communications
Freedom Seal Global
PSandell@thefreedomseal.com
