Melbourne nun becomes UN Global Action Co-ordinator

Mercy Sister Angela Reed is about to take up an important appointment at the United Nations as Global Action Co-ordinator in the field of human trafficking.

Sr Angela, whose brother is Fr Brendan Reed of the Melbourne parish of Balwyn and Deepdene, comes to her international role after many year with the Sisters of Mercy, first as teacher before moving into theological studies, where she developed a particular interest in homelessness.

After extensive hands-on work in refuges such as the former Regina Caeli facility in Melbourne, Sr Angela came into contact not just with homeless women, but with victims of family violence and, ultimately, women who were in Australia as a result of human trafficking, mostly duped into coming here for purposes of prostitution.

Additionally, Sr Angela spent some considerable time in the Philippines researching the lives and fate of some 40 women who had been victims of trafficking, most of them in their own homeland.

Furthering her interest in and knowledge of human trafficking, Sr Angela completed a doctorate on the subject and, for the last 12 months, has lived and worked with the Mercys in New York.

At the United Nations, Mercy International has special consultative status, and Sr Angela has already been involved in many forums, workshops and high level representations, both with the UN as well as the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

From March 1, Sr Angela will assume the title of Global Action Co-ordinator at the UN, a role she was happy to speak about to the Communications Director for the Melbourne Archdiocese, Shane Healy.