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Order of Malta participates in International Conference on Human Trafficking

On 10 December, a high level international conference held at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, marked the 25th anniversary of the Palermo Protocol, to call for renewed global efforts to eradicate human trafficking. The event was co-organised by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Praeveni Global, the Santa Marta Group, and the Institute of Anthropology of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

High profile speakers, including the Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, the Grand Hospitaller Josef D. Blotz and prominent representatives of governments and international bodies, discussed the urgent need for stronger implementation of existing legal standards and greater resource mobilisation to support victims.

Two and a half decades after the adoption of the Protocol, human trafficking continues to grow at an alarming rate. According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index, over 50 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. This phenomenon generates approximately $236 billion in criminal profit annually. Tens of thousands of individuals lose their lives each year due to extreme exploitation and forced labour.

The Order of Malta’s Ambassador to Monitor and Combat trafficking in Persons, Michel Veuthey,  continues to raise recognition with his work in advancing global training and education initiatives, including new collaborations with UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research). Ambassador Veuthey highlighted the importance of combining legal measures, public awareness, and fundamental ethical principles to uphold human dignity: “Combating human trafficking is not an act of charity but a moral and legal imperative.”

Special note was made of the work of CISOM, the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta, and its close cooperation with the Italian Government in the management of migration flows. Through the continuous deployment of doctors and nurses in five coastal areas, operating around the clock, CISOM provides life-saving assistance to tens of thousands of people at sea.