24 February: a year of war in Ukraine

It is a particularly sad anniversary: one year has passed since the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine. A year in which the disastrous consequences of this war only add deaths, injuries, misery and investment in weapons to the rest of the armed conflicts that are active throughout the planet. That is why from Mumbai Smiles we once again raise our voices to call for a ceasefire, in this and all active conflicts. A resounding call to Peace.

Therefore in Mumbai Smiles we have been fighting peacefully against poverty and in favor of Human Rights for more than 17 years. In recent years our action has focused on helping to eradicate human trafficking. A transforming action that promotes access to education, health and socioeconomic development, together with direct care for victims and survivors, and the prevention of this global problem.

More than 5, 00, 000 people are trafficked every day around the world. One every minute. India is one of the most frequent destinations for the sexual exploitation of women and girls, especially in the big cities. It is estimated that Mumbai has 4, 00, 000 sexually exploited women, out of which 1, 80, 000 are minors.

All of this is violence, as is the war in Ukraine which for the first time made us mobilize resources in Europe, specifically in Krakow. The conflict has generated an exodus of thousands of people, a context that has all the characteristics for human trafficking and smuggling networks to act and take advantage of the despair and confusion of those fleeing to attract new victims of exploitation. Although in recent months we had initiated actions in specific areas of Asia, such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Kolkata to prevent new cases of trafficking and sexual exploitation and also to support survivors, the war in Ukraine led us to this area where we have been supporting shares in this line for one year. But all this journey has also led us to start actions in Spain. We are working to establish a network with agents, security forces, organizations and institutions that work in the peaceful fight against trafficking, to offer care services to victims of trafficking and survivors who come from the areas in which we have traditionally worked.

Thus, it is the cases of trafficking and sexual exploitation and its global dimension that have led us to look beyond Mumbai and to expand our action to other areas of Asia and also in Spain. And to take our peaceful fight for human rights wherever we think we can influence to progress in our mission.

But today the key word is PEACE.