Objectives

The main objectives of the Santa Marta Group are to:

1. Raise awareness about the nature and scale of slavery;
2. Develop trusting relationships amongst law enforcement agencies, the Church and civil society across the world;
3. Animate those relationships so that they result in practical collaboration, improved public policy, legislation, law enforcement and pastoral care for victims;
4. Help put the care of victims at the centre of law enforcement approaches to trafficking;
5. Share experiences, best practice, and skills amongst SMG members to improve prevention of trafficking, pastoral care for victims, including empowering their reintegration in society and the prosecution of criminals;

Achieving these objectives

The following practical actions will ensure we can achieve these objectives:

• Developing and maintaining a programme of projects, initiatives, events and relationship-building to meet the pastoral and law enforcement challenges of human trafficking;
• An annual international conference plus regional events;
• A permanent secretariat responsive to the needs of members;
• Developing and commissioning applied research and a research network and making it available to members.