Social awareness and public cleanliness

“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead, American anthropologist A challenging priority

Last Tuesday, 30 July, was the World Day against Human Trafficking – a crime that exploits men, women and children for numerous purposes, including forced labour and sex. The victims of human trafficking are often tricked or misled into believing that they are being taken to work to help feed their families, but they are eventually forced, kidnapped or bought from hard-up families that have no choice but to give up, or sell, their very own children.

To mark the occasion, the Gozo Ministry teamed up with the Parliamentary Secretariat for Reform, Citizenship and the Simplification of Administrative Process to launch the campaign ‘Uman, Bħalek’ (‘Human, like You’) as part of a national awareness initiative against human trafficking.

Modern-day slavery is a huge worldwide problem. The United Nations states that, since 2003, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has collected information on about 225,000 victims of trafficking detected worldwide. The results of human trafficking are a loss of rights and identity and the use – and abuse – of the victims concerned. This year, the Day was intended to raise awareness and increase preventative efforts.

Awareness: a first step

It was indeed very appropriate that attending the launch were representatives of the Gozo Business Chamber and the Gozo Tourism Association. The launch turned out to be a frank discussion with people who are directly – and tirelessly – contributing to the flourishing economy on the island through the many job opportunities they create. In my introductionary speech, I stressed the importance of eradicating this worldwide modern scourge through better awareness in the business community. It is quite challenging to recall a saying that may shed light on the issue: “People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.”

Whilst it is true that each and every citizen should be aware of this problem, the business community can frequently be faced with this issue. Consequently it has a greater responsibility and must be constantly aware of the negative effects of exploitation and abuse of workers on both the individual and the community at large.

Gozo’s business community

Gozo is enjoying an economic boost of such proportions that businesses are finding it difficult to find local workers and are increasingly relying on the recruitment of workers from abroad. This scenario brings with it huge responsiblity: we are all human