Soroptimists take concerns over Human Trafficking to Stormont

Soroptimist International is worldwide organisation for professional and business women who work for human rights through service in local, national and international communities.

One of the current key areas of its work is the objective to ‘end human trafficking and all forms of violence against women and girls’. Members have been shocked by the increase in trafficking and sexual exploitation within Northern Ireland and, through a regional initiative, have been supporting both the Blue Blindfold and Purple Teardrop campaigns. - Soroptimists Irene Miskimmon and Hazel Holmlund attend the Stormont All Party Group on Trafficking.

To raise awareness of the problem, Soroptimists north and south organised a petition and a hard copy token part of it was presented to the First Minister and deputy First Minister at the meeting on June 11.

The Northern Ireland Soroptimist Regional President Hazel Holmlund spoke to the Ministers about the need to raise awareness in the community, and particularly among young people, of human trafficking and what is happening in Northern Ireland and across Europe.

As Soroptimist International’s current key focus is on education, Hazel Holmlund asked if the First and deputy First Ministers would use their influence, through the Minister for Education to introduce education for girls and boys on this topic.

She said she was aware that the PSNI’s Education Officer is currently preparing a module for secondary schools on the subject and Soroptimists endorse this initiative.

In conclusion, Soroptimist Regional President Hazel Holmlund thanked the Ministers and emphasised the importance of the Police Service, the Department of Justice, Politicians, voluntary organisations and the public working together to make this a hostile environment for traffickers and bring them to justice.

A spokesperson for the delegation said afterwards: “The Soroptimists were very grateful to have this opportunity to put their concerns, which are shared by a large number of voluntary organisations, to the First Minister and deputy First Minister and to have their support in taking forward the campaign to eliminate Human Trafficking”.