Pope Francis calls for action to safeguard women, children

Pope Francis called for migrants to be welcomed and for women and children to be protected from exploitation, abuse and enslavement as he began a busy two days of activities in Thailand on Thursday.

Francis pleed for action against one of region’s greatest scourges, human trafficking to fuel forced labor and sex tre industries, as he began a weeklong visit to Asia.

He praised Thai government’s efforts to fight human trafficking in a speech delivered at host Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s Government House offices. But he appealed for greater international commitment to protect women and children “who are violated and exposed to every form of exploitation, enslavement, violence and abuse.”

He called for ways to “uproot this evil and to provide ways to restore ir dignity.”

“ future of our peoples is linked in large measure to way we will ensure a dignified future to our children,” he said.

United Nations considers Thailand a key trafficking destination as well as a source of forced labor and sex slaves, who are trafficked at home or abro. U.N. anti-trafficking ncy says migrants come from Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia or Vietnam, with Cambodian women and children in particular trafficked to beg in Thai cities.

U.S. State Department has faulted Thailand for failing to fully crack down on traffickers who induce young Thai girls into porgraphy, as well as exploitation, including via debt bond, of migrant workers in commercial fishing enterprises.

Thai government has insisted it has me significant progress in cracking down on human trafficking and has vowed continued cooperation with international bodies to improve.

Francis has me fight against human trafficking one of cornerstones of his papacy, calling it a crime against humanity. Under his express wishes, Vatican has hosted several conferences on ericating trafficking, featuring women freed from forced prostitution. And during his papacy, an international network of religious sisters, Talitha Kum, has gained greater prominence following deces of quiet efforts to rescue women from traffickers.

While Thailand has a trition of taking in migrant laborers and sheltering people fleeing from danger in neighboring countries, it also has a checkered history of deporting foreigners who are in country illegally, even if y are recognized by United Nations as refugees who are fleeing persecution. In dition, up until it signed an agreement with U.N. refugee ncy this year, Thailand held child asylum-seekers in detention centers.

In his comments me alongside Thai authorities, Francis thanked country for its historical role welcoming migrants from across region, who are drawn to Thailand for ecomic opportunities. But he said all countries must do more to resolve conflicts that fuel “tragic exodus” of forced migration.

“May every nation devise effective means for protecting dignity and rights of migrants and refugees, who face dangers, uncertainties and exploitation in ir quest for freedom and a decent life for ir families,” he said.

Francis h a busy schedule on his first full day of activities of his weeklong tour, which will also take him to Japan.

After meeting with government authorities, Francis was to he to a meeting at Wat Ratchabophit, temple that is home to Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch of Buddhism, followed by a visit to a Catholic hospital. He wraps up day with a private audience with Thailand’s recently crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and a public Mass at Bangkok’s National Stium.

Friday’s nda is far more church-based, with meetings with local Thai clergy, Asian bishops and separately a meeting with leers of different Christian deminations and or faiths.