Our Special Advisor on Human Trafficking and Child Protection Mrs. Deborah O’Hara Rusckowski addressed the United Nations at the 2022 UN Third Committee Conference this week.

Mrs. O’Hara Rusckowski successfully intervened expressing the Sovereign Order of Malta’s deepest appreciation for the work done by four (4) different Special Rapporteurs in various topics, including human trafficking.

• On Monday 17th October, Mrs. O’Hara Rusckowski intervened firstly on the work of the Special Rapporteur Ms. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary regarding the human rights of internally displaced persons, stressing:

“The best example of our work with internally displaced persons is the work of all Order entities across Europe responding to the Ukraine crisis. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, homes, schools and hospitals are being destroyed, with more and more lives are being lost and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Over sixty-nine thousand (69,000) volunteers and staff have been working nonstop to provide shelter, food, basic items, medical supplies, hygiene articles – all in an effort to alleviate the suffering of the people of Ukraine”.

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• Finally, Mr. O’Hara Rusckowski showed her expertise in the field of human trafficking commenting the report of Special Rapporteur Ms. Siobhán Mullally and sharing the Sovereign Order of Malta’s daily works in all parts of the world, underlining:

“Just two weeks ago we learned that the number of trafficked persons worldwide rose from 40 million to 50 million”;

“The Order of Malta has identified the four major needs for people being trafficked as restoration, prevention, prosecution and partnering. We recognize this to be a complex problem and we are encourage to take positive steps in eradicating human trafficking”.

Mrs. O’Hara Rusckowski reminded also the crucial Protocol recently submitted by the Sovereign Order of Malta, the result of three years of constantly hard work, spearheaded by our New York Special Advisor to the Ambassador on Human Trafficking.

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• The next day, on Tuesday 18th October, our Special Advisor intervened on the human rights of migrants, commenting the report of Special Rapporteur Mr. Felipe González Morales, mentioning our relief agency Malteser International, stressing:

“The Order of Malta has a delegation to the International Organization for Migration and it also participated in the Marrakesh Summit to approve the Global Compact, which establishes the guidelines for global migration management policies and strategies“;

“The Order’s worldwide Associations have been aiding migrants affected by the economic crisis by supplying social care services as well as necessary products, including food, necessities, medicines, medical supplies, and hygiene kits. In some countries, the Associations have gone as far as also distributing cash, clothing, computers, furniture, and other goods received as donations from other international humanitarian entities. In Miami, the American Association has even provided vocational training to immigrants living in the area of Little Habana”.

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• Finally, on Thursday 20th October, the last statement delivered concerned minority issues, intervening on the work of Special Rapporteur Mr. Fernand De Varennes.

“In 2013, the Order of Malta appointed an Ambassador to the Roma people, working with Order entities across Europe to develop 24 projects in seven countries.

To watch the full statement: