By Staff Reporter

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald praised the volunteer spirit of those raising public awareness of human trafficking when she visited the UN Gift Box at Dublin’s Central Bank recently.

The UN Gift Box is a unique piece of public art touring Ireland in March to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern day slavery.
It is a walk-in installation where members of the public can learn more about the deception involved in human trafficking and the suffering of the victims drawn in by traffickers.

The colourful artwork is staffed by a team of volunteers who invite passers-by to step inside and confront the reality of human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a horrendous crime, one which sees the most vulnerable people deceived, coerced, exploited and harmed,” said the Tánaiste. “It often begins with promises of a better life. I think this box captures that idea in a very thought-provoking way.”

UN Gift, or Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking, is an initiative of the United Nations and anti-human trafficking NGOs. Act to Prevent Trafficking (APT) is the Irish NGO co-ordinating the delivery of the Gift Box to more than a dozen locations around Ireland.

The initiative is supported by the Department of Justice and Equality through the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and by An Garda Síochána through the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit.

The Tánaiste was joined at the event on Dame Street in Dublin by APT’s co-ordinators and volunteers, members of An Garda Síochána and representatives of UN agencies based in Ireland.