Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk reminded participants in an OSCE session on human trafficking of the words of Pope Francis, who said that human trafficking “turns human beings, especially the weakest and most defenseless, into commodities.”
The Vatican envoy also recalled the Pope’s observation that migrants who are denied legal entry into countries often fall victim to human trafficking, since “where regular migration is impossible, migrants are often forced to turn to human traffickers or smugglers” despite the risks.
Msgr. Urbanczyk suggested three steps that world leaders should take to curb human trafficking: addressing the root causes of migration; creating clear international laws against human trafficking; and raising public awareness of the problem.