“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)

Scripture for October 15 – Seven Days of Prayer Toward EU Anti-Trafficking Day, published by RENATE (Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation)

Today, RENATE’s commitment and the work of Talitha Kum as a whole is ever more urgent in Europe. The European Union’s increasingly restrictive migration policies are raising concerns for organizations working to prevent trafficking and support survivors across the continent.

On the occasion of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day on October 18, 2026, RENATE, part of Talitha Kum’s global network, renewed their commitment to end trafficking and reminded us that our response must go beyond words. The network united in prayer and shared a Seven Day prayer guide, inviting their members to both reflect and take action for human dignity, freedom, and justice. They also presented a comprehensive report of Europe’s current trafficking challenges, the implications of the EU Pact, and RENATE’s response, which includes survivor protection, legal aid, and advocacy.

In June 2026, the European Union implemented a new set of rules and regulations regarding migration across the region, set forth in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and the Return Regulation plan. These policies, which include fast-track deportation, extended detention rules, and externalized asylum in the form of “return hubs”, raise important concerns about the protection of people at risk of trafficking. On October 18, RENATE co-presidents Sr. Marie Power, HFB and Ms. Ivonne van de Kar stated that “[Displaced people] are increasingly exposed to deceptive recruiters and exploitative intermediaries.” RENATE condemned the EU’s “Fortress Europe” mentality in their statement made following the policy implementation in June, expressing that this legislation prioritizes aggressive border control over the legal right to seek asylum and the sanctity of human life.

Talitha Kum joins RENATE in calling on European governments, institutions, faith communities, and civil society to strengthen cooperation and ensure that the most vulnerable receive the protection they deserve. We must continue to advocate for legislation that upholds safety, dignity, and the respect of fundamental human rights. Together, let us turn faith into action, solidarity into protection, and hope into a future free from human trafficking and exploitation.

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Across 31 European countries, RENATE brings together more than 135 member organizations committed to preventing human trafficking and exploitation. With collaboration among religious congregations, civil society organizations, law enforcers, legal professionals, and other partners, they work to protect people at risk, accompany survivors, and challenge the structures that allow exploitation to continue. Their commitment takes practical form through safe accommodation, psychological support, vocational training, trauma-informed legal assistance, and opportunities for survivors to rebuild their lives. They also work to prevent trafficking by raising awareness, helping communities recognize the signs of exploitation and the dangers of deceptive recruitment.