Article written by Sr. Abby Avelino, MM, published in the UISG Bulletin 186/2025

"Talitha Kum. Little girl, I say to you, rise up." (Mark 5:41)

Talitha Kum is an International Network Against Human Trafficking, a grassroots network led by Catholic Sisters, that aims to end human trafficking and exploitation through collaborative initiatives focused on prevention, protection, spiritual support, social reintegration, and rehabilitation of survivors of human trafficking.

Background

The Talitha Kum network was officially founded in 2009 by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) as part of an initiative to combat human trafficking and exploitation. The efforts to establish this network began in the late 1990s when some Religious Sisters working with women victims of violence and sexual exploitation encountered the painful and harsh realities of human trafficking.

The UISG recognized the seriousness of this emerging issue, and tasked its Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Commission with organizing projects to study the growing problem. In 2001, the human trafficking phenomenon was presented as a priority issue at the UISG.

Plenary Assembly. Then declared the final statement:

“We, almost 800 women leaders of one million members of Catholic Religious Institutes throughout the world, publicly declare our determination to work in solidarity with one another within our own religious communities and in the countries in which we are located to address insistently at every level the abuse and sexual exploitation of women and children with particular attention to the trafficking of women which has become a lucrative multi-national business”. (Declaration of Women Religious Leaders: UISG Bulletin – Special Number 116) - UISG Plenary Assembly Declaration 2001

Due to the need for further study and development, a collaboration was established between the UISG and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). From 2004 to 2008, they developed a training program that resulted in the formation of several regional networks around the world.