Last Updated on Saturday, 20 February 2010 23:16 Written by Administrator Saturday, 20 February 2010 23:02

United Nations Association of New York

United Nations Association of New York presents   A Panel Discussion on Human Trafficking    featuring   Somaly Mam A Heroine from the Brothels   Monday March 8, 2010         Somaly Mam will be the featured speaker on Monday, March 8th, at a panel discussion on human trafficking, to be held at the Levin Institute in midtown Manhattan.  Human trafficking was described in a recent study by the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) as the fastest growing organized crime in the world. It is estimated that four million women, young girls and boys are kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery every year, generating over $4 billion in illicit income for the brothel owners and the kidnappers.   The panel will consist of five speakers -- Somaly Mam, Jennifer Dreher, Guy Jacobson, Celhia de Lavarene, and Carol Smolenski (see below for details) -- who will each speak for about 10 minutes on a different aspect of the human trafficking (HT) crisis, such as the average age of the victims; the countries most heavily involved; what US laws protect victims from being prosecuted as prostitutes and what penalties are being imposed on pimps; and what the federal and state governments, NGOs, individual citizens and the travel industry, in particular, can do to combat human trafficking.     RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE!   Questions?  Please call (212) 907-1353 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it      UNA Members free, Non-members $10 To become a member, join for a $25 Introductory rate and attend our programs for free Click here to join or renew your membership.   Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Somaly Mam Foundation    WHERE & WHEN The Levin Institute 116 E. 55th Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues) MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2010 6:30 p.m. - Registration & Light Refreshments 7:00 p.m. - Program Presentation                  Book signing after the program     See details about all upcoming events on the EVENTS section of our website at www.unanyc.org     Moderator:  Sherrie Murphy, VP Board of Directors, UNA-NY   Panelists:   Somaly Mam will talk about her personal experience as an HT survivor. She was born in a small Cambodian village and sold into sexual slavery by her grandfather when she was just twelve years old.  Imprisoned in a series of brothels for the next decade, she endured the brutality of human trafficking -- serial rape, torture, hunger, and squalor -- until she managed to escape with the help of a French humanitarian worker. She has written an inspiring memoir, THE ROAD OF LOST INNOCENCE, praised by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who called her "a heroine from the brothels" and "one of the bravest and boldest" among those fighting this unspeakable evil. Working through the Somaly Mam Foundation, she has dedicated her life to helping other young girls escape from forced prostitution and has so far been the key negotiator in freeing over 4,000 of these former sex slaves. Somaly Mam's book will be available for purchase after the panel discussion.   Jennifer Dreher is the Senior Director of the Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP) at Safe Horizon, which is the leading victim assistance organization in the country.  She oversees the ATP's social and legal services, training, outreach and advocacy, serving both men and women, representing over 60 countries and all forms of human trafficking. With more than 10 years experience in international human rights, she has managed programs in Sierra Leone, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic with the International Rescue Committee, UNIFEM and the Peace Corps.  Ms. Dreher is a steering committee member of the New York Anti-Trafficking Network and active member of the Freedom Network (USA).  She holds an MA in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University.    Guy Jacobson, a filmmaker and global activist, was honored with the U.S. State Department's prestigious Global Hero Award in 2008 for his tireless efforts in fighting child sex trafficking. A former New York attorney and investment banker, he now serves as president of Priority Films.  He produced "Holly," the highly acclaimed feature film, released in 2007, which dramatically raised awareness of the scope and severity of child sexploitation as a global epidemic. In 2002, he founded the Red Light Children Campaign, an NGO aimed at ending all forms of sex crimes against children, focusing on legislation, enforcement, and the rule of law. Jacobson has produced several television programs, written and published 15 books and numerous articles, and two documentaries on child sexploitation.  The first, REDLIGHT, will be premier in NY theatres in June 2010.  UNA-NY will screen "Holly" at the Tribeca Grand Hotel on April 7, 2010.  Mr. Jacobson is an active board member of the Somaly Mam Foundation.   Celhia de Lavarene is a journalist reporting from the United Nations for almost two decades for Jeune Afrique and Radio France Internationale. She has worked at UN missions in Cambodia, South Africa, Eastern Slavonia and East Timor. In 2001 the head of the UN mission in war-torn Bosnia appointed Celhia to create and run the UN's first-ever operation to combat human trafficking, called the Special Trafficking Operations Program (STOP).  For over two years, Celhia led a contingent of police officers in raids on 240 brothels and rescued 265 victims. In 2004 and 2005 she led a similar operation in post-war Liberia. Her book describing her experiences, Un Visa Pour L'enfer (A Visa to Hell) has been published in France and Brazil and an English-language edition is planned.  She founded the NGO, StopTrafficking of People (STOP) - a charity recognized by the US, French and UK governments -- the first global organization that uses experts to rescue and rehabilitate HT victims. Ms. de Lavarene has addressed numerous conferences on sex trafficking throughout Europe and she has been interviewed on this subject on CNN, the BBC and Sky News.   Carol Smolenski is the executive director and one of the founders of ECPAT-USA, an acronym for End Child Prostitution and Trafficking. She has worked in the field of children's rights since 1991 and was previously the UN representative for the Christian Children's Fund and Defense for Children International.  She has worked at ECPAT- USA since 1996.   ECPAT International operates in 75 countries as a network of organizations and individuals working to protect every child's right to grow up free from sexual exploitation.  At the UNA-NY panel discussion, Ms. Smolenski will focus on the rapid escalation of sex trafficking in the United States.   Members of the press, please contact:    Sherrie Murphy This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 February 2010 18:03 Written by Administrator Thursday, 11 February 2010 17:35

The names of all panels and speakers for the UNA-USA Mid-Atlantic REgional Conference are now posted on the UNA-USA website. The flyer is available here: http://www.unausa.org/Document.Doc?id=647 To register for the Conference and Members Day 2010, please go to: https://www.unausa.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=1799    You must register no later than February 15, online, in order to attend the conference.

You do not have to be a UNA-USA member to attend, but we encourage you to join.  Membership brings many benefits, including the opportunity to learn about major international issues and the United Nation's program, to meet interesting people, and to participate in programs and activities.

To join UNA-USA, please go to:

Last Updated on Saturday, 23 January 2010 14:34 Written by Administrator Saturday, 23 January 2010 14:13

The bi-partisan American Engagement Caucus launched on January 20, 2010.  It is intended to provide a forum for interested House members and key policy makers to learn about the United Nations, and promote active United States participation in international organizations.  The Caucus will convene briefings, help lawmakers join together in support  of important legislation, and cultivate congressional support for multilateral diplomacy and international cooperation.  Briefings will be given to members of the Caucus and their staffs by United States and UN officials.

The Co-chairs of the Caucus are: Russ Carnahan:  Democrat from Missouri;  and Anh ("Joseph") Cao:  Republican from Louisiana.  Their announcement appeared in the publication, The Hill,

Margaret (Molly) Bruce, Advocacy Chair,  invites Members of the UNA-USA Southern New York State Division and of its constituent chapters to contact their House Representatives and urge them to join the Caucus.  New York State has 29 members, many in our area.  To reach the home page of your Member and contact information, click here:  http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#ny

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 January 2010 16:43 Written by Administrator Thursday, 14 January 2010 16:17

The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) encourages Americans to respond appropriately and responsibly to the earthquake in Haiti. Those who wish to best help the victims in Haiti are asked to donate cash as an alternative to in-kind donations such as clothing and canned goods. Cash donations are widely recognized as the most efficient and effective means of relief, a policy supported by CIDI's funding partner, the United States Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and those in the established international disaster response community.

UNA-USA encourages donations to:  

World Food Programme.   This link takes you to the donation site of Friends of the World Food Program which enables Americans to make tax-deductible contributions.  As of January 14, WFP was already feeding 3,000 people in the city of Jacmel, southwest of Port-au-Prince, and gearing up to feed up to 2 million.

UNICEF . This link takes you to the donation site of UNICEF USA which similarly enables Americans to make tax-deductible contributions.

If you wish to volunteer:

If anyone wishes to volunteer, the CIDI website provides information about the types of volunteers who are needed and accepted by most agencies: usually people with relevant language skills, at least ten years' experience in disaster relief, with specific skills in medicine, health, communications and logistics, and willing to spend at least three months.  Full details available on the website.  There is a place to register your availability; relief agencies review the database and independently contact potential volunteers.  See http://www.cidi.org