The Sisters Anti Trafficking Awards (SATAs) will recognise 3 Catholic sisters working to prevent human trafficking.

For decades, Catholic sisters have worked to alleviate human suffering and prevent exploitation in their communities. Talitha Kum, the global sisters’ anti-trafficking network, boasts over 6,000 members in over 90 countries – more anti-trafficking agents than even the largest aid agencies. 

This October, for the very first time, these unsung heroes of the anti-slavery movement will be recognised. The SATAs is the annual celebration of three sisters, as representatives of their congregations and networks, who have demonstrated exceptional courage, creativity, collaboration and achievement in the protection of their communities from human trafficking.

The SATAs are co-hosted by anti-slavery NGO Arise, the Conrad H. Hilton Foundation and the International Union of Superiors General. The Awards aim to raise the profile of the valuable work of sisters, encourage collaboration within the anti-slavery sector, and to ‘deepen the protection of communities vulnerable to trafficking worldwide’. 

Nominations have flooded in from secular and religious sources alike, and the organisers recently announced the members of the selection committee charged with choosing the winners, which features experts from across the globe. 

The committee includes influential advocate Alika Kinan, who survived sex trafficking in Argentina; Joanne Driels, who sits on the board of the Global Solidarity Fund and works as an Advisor at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Francesca Donà, representing the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Sr. Jane Wakahiu LSOSF, PhD, who has helped lead the Hilton Foundation’s response to human trafficking; Sr. Jyoti Pinto BS, who pioneered the establishment AMRAT (Asian Movement of Women Religious Against Human Trafficking), the sisters’ anti-trafficking network in South Asia, and Sr Theodosia Baki TSSF, UISG board member, who serves as Superior General for the Tertiary Sisters of St Francis. 

Martin Foley, Arise CEO, said that ‘across countless high-risk regions, we find challenging, unglamorous but highly effective anti-trafficking work being carried out by Catholic sisters. The work includes survivor rehabilitation, income generation, school enrolment, community vigilance projects, and awareness campaigns. It’s high time these efforts were celebrated and learned from.’

Sr. Patricia Murray ibvm, UISG’s Executive Secretary said that “while the awards honor sisters for their courage and creativity, collaboration with many people from different faith traditions and with women and men of goodwill is key to combatting the scourge of human trafficking which disfigures human dignity.”

This year’s ceremony will be held in London on the 31st of October. Find out more on the SATAs website https://www.satawards.com/ or follow the SATAs on Twitter @SistersAwards

Visit the official website of the SATAs