On 11 August, our guest speaker online was Ross Nancarrow, CEO of Every Daughter Matters.
Ross gave us a knowledgeable and confronting insight into the reality of modern-day slavery which includes forced labour, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced marriage. Traffickers profit from the labour, bodies and freedom of vulnerable people through deception, coercion, abuse of vulnerability and false promises of marriage or a better life.
The scale of the problem is staggering. Around 50 million people worldwide are living in modern slavery, generating approximately USD $236 billion in illegal profits each year. An estimated 6.3 million women and girls are trapped in forced commercial sexual exploitation.
Modern slavery also exists here in Australia, with an estimated 41,000 people affected. Exploitation here can occur in areas such as agriculture, care work and the beauty industry, as well as through forced marriage.
Ross explained how Every Daughter Matters works in Nepal to prevent girls and women from being trafficked across the open border into India. Working with local partners, teams operate interception booths at strategic border locations and provide safe accommodation and support for those at risk.
More than 150 girls and women are intercepted each month, with around 140 intercepted in June alone. Unfortunately it is estimated that there are over 1,500 per month.
It was a powerful and thought-provoking presentation and a reminder that behind every statistic is a person whose freedom, dignity and future matter.
Thank you, Ross, for sharing your knowledge and the important work of Every Daughter Matters with our Club.
