Celebrating 10 years of work this year, MECPATHS has been supported by The Mercy Congregational Leadership team since its foundation in 2013. The project grew steadily in its early years with a special focus on working with the hospitality industry to raise awareness on child trafficking and supporting hotel staff and management to respond appropriately if suspicions were raised about the safety of a child within a property. Initial engagement with Hospitality rested on the personal links developed by project staff, volunteers and co-founders Sisters Mary Ryan and Patricia O’Donovan.

In 2018 our Strategic 3-year plan contained a decision to widen the reach of MECPATHS. Many changes took place in the following twelve months including a revision of the MECPATHS acronym, a revised branding and colour palette, the development of new education resources including a website, printed learning and promotional materials that supported a focused effort on working with hotel groups rather than individual hotels. Partnerships were developed with PREM Group, Trigon, Dalata and The Irish Hotels Federation. The project became more public-facing and we spoke at events around Ireland. A strong network began to emerge and links were fostered with The Department of Justice and some statutory bodies. Requests from beyond the Hospitality industry came and so University and College links were developed; partnerships with private industry were welcomed and the team responded to the ‘call of the time’, receiving International recognition with European Awards for innovation and social entrepreneurship. MECPATHS partners emerged around Ireland and in six core-pillars: Healthcare, Hospitality, Private Security, Universities, Social Work and Academia.

The network continued to flourish despite the COVID Pandemic and connections were made globally with agencies and organisations that shared MECPATHS’ vision, online. MECPATHS was the first anti-trafficking agency in Ireland to host a ‘Pandemic Webinar’ and brought 300 interested persons together from India, USA, Australia, The Philippines and across Europe, online. This webinar placed MECPATHS firmly at the centre of Child Trafficking conversations and extended its profile. Media interest grew and Ireland’s national broadcaster (RTE) took a particular interest in developing an ongoing relationship with the team. MECPATHS was engaged to develop bespoke workshops for private, statutory and non-statutory agencies and long-running efforts to engage with high-level partners came to fruition.

Ann and JP

In 2022, MECPATHS was requested by Ireland’s Child and Family Agency to engage with their frontline staff (a long-term dream of the project) and avenues, doors and conversations opened quickly. A high-level engagement held at the European Parliament offices in Dublin brought 2022 to a close with MECPATHS co-hosting a round-table event with Maria Walsh M.E.P. and an invited panel from The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, The Ombudsman for Children’s office, The University of Limerick and The Inner City Organisations Network, Dublin (ICON). This event brought to fruition many years of commitment by the team who listened, shared, engaged and responded to the need of the time – the need for the voices of children caught in worlds of trafficking for exploitation in Ireland to be heard.

The future of MECPATHS is busy, strategic and focused but holds at the core of its success, people. The power of network and the strength of collaboration has helped MECPATHS to move steadily and confidently ahead to advocate for children who remain caught in invisible worlds of Child Trafficking. We appreciate your support over the years, your ongoing messages of support and your sharing of news with your friends, family and colleagues. As we celebrate 10 years of MECPATHS, we ask you to join us in hoping for the project’s ongoing success and development.

JP and Ann
MECPATHS

Remembering The Decade 2013 – 2023

“New York, New York! Here I come. In 2013 our destination was not the great bustling city that never sleeps but the 57th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Rather Sister Patricia O’Donovan and I attended on the invitation of Sister Aine O’Connor (USA) who then worked at the UN Justice Desk on behalf of Mercy Congregations. A decade later 2023 I now reflect on the more enduring memories of that event.

The priority theme was “Violence Against Women and Girls”. Ever since then my understanding of violence and human trafficking has grown. The Opening Ceremony was very colourful with women from all continents and from many countries gathered in one auditorium and all concerned with the same issue. This made me realise the pervasiveness of violence against women and girls and its destructive nature.

There were discussions and workshops on breaking the cycle of violence that is one of the most widespread violations of human rights.

• Survivors of human trafficking sharing their stories.
• On Women in media, radio and television and their experiences.
• On Women’s right to freedom for and from prostitution.
• On Gender issues and Equality.

These are but a few of the workshops and presentations that took place. By 2013 I already had 10 years experience working with two organizations – APT (Act to Prevent Trafficking) and Ruhama (which works face to face with women trafficked into prostitution). In 2012 there was little known or spoken about the trafficking and the exploitation of children. In that year a Sister colleague and I did some research to develop a programme to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, my colleague was unable to continue and well into the planning we abandoned the effort. At the Commission two Youth-Led Events

– “Girls Speak Out”, “Girls Tribunal on Violence”, awakened my interest and determination to return to the children’s project. Following discussion with Patricia we both agreed to follow through with the idea and in a short time after returning home Mercy Efforts for Child Protection with Hospitality Services was born and named MECPATHS. I will leave it to others to describe how MECPATHS has grown and developed over the decade. It started on a very small scale with a team visiting hotels, meeting the managers explaining our Power Point project and requesting time to make a staff presentation.

Today things are very different and far more efficient. Contact is made through email and a well-researched Programme developed by team MECPATHS is delivered by eLearning. It is incorporated into the initial training of personnel, so it reaches managers and staff in far less time. Presently, many hotels and businesses request this programme.

Another outstanding memory for me in March 2013, although not directly connected with CSW was the surprise election of Pope Francis. From Buenos Aires he was no stranger to the phenomenon of violence and trafficking of women which he calls a “heinous crime” and “an open wound in the Body of Christ, in the body of all humanity”. He encouraged Cardinals, Bishops, Priests and Laity to become involved in eradicating this “Scourge” by 2030. He has asked experts from the Vatican Academy of Sciences to share  their research on different aspects of trafficking from around the world. He has met with the leaders of the major World Religions who have pledged their assistance. Many of you will remember his visit to Lampedusa to meet migrants, refugees and trafficked people in the early days of his Papacy. Since 2015 he has established the Santa Marta Group which is the unlikely alliance of Bishops and Police Chiefs worldwide to engage in anti-trafficking work. The rapid development of MECPATHS and the encouragement of Pope Francis have greatly influenced my Ministry and Prayer Life over the past decade”

Sr. Mary Ryan
Co-Founder, MECPATHS   

Patricia O’Donovan and Mary Ryan

Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Forward in Hope

‘Mercy is the call, the charism and heritage
Which forms and reforms our lives.
It enables us…..to reach out with courage and compassion …..’ Mercy Constitution 3

“Who more than vulnerable children need our courage and compassion to speak out for them and to advocate on their behalf? Catherine did it in her day and handed on that legacy to us. Ten years ago, while in the UN listening to speakers paint a picture of child trafficking, the faces of my young nieces and nephews were very much in my awareness. As various speakers peeled back the layers of this hidden crime I felt a myriad of emotions – deep gratitude that my relations were safe and protected; horror that children their age were being exploited and a huge awakening as I heard the passion of those who were advocating against child trafficking.    A door opened into a world which highlighted this heinous crime and I could not close my eyes to this reality.  Mary and I returned to Dublin and the seed called “MECPATHS” was planted.

As I reflect on the last ten years, I feel deep gratitude for Mercy’s response; CLT for establishing and funding the project; the passion of the Sisters in the early days who knocked on hotel doors across Ireland introducing MECPATHS’; Provincial Teams for making the work known among the Sisters.  The project has been blessed by the vision, energy, passion, commitment and dedication of the staff who through networking and collaboration continue to knock on education doors, statutory bodies, and all areas of the hospitality sector, tirelessly educating and advocating on child trafficking. The ripples of influence have expanded in ever widening circles.

As I look forward, I carry a confident hope that future generations of hospitality staff, social workers, teachers, medical staff, airline staff, security personnel, statutory bodies to name a few, have been empowered to know the signs of child trafficking and report a suspicion.  If the work of MECPATHS has made a difference in the life of one child, that one child has a future full of hope”.

Sr. Patricia O’Donovan 

To contact the MECPATHS Team, click here (info@mecpaths.com)