Representatives from different public spheres participate in the I Conference ‘Awareness and Commitment against Trafficking’.

The Mirador del Carmen auditorium today hosted this meeting, which aims to make visible, raise awareness and promote collective action against human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, today opened the conference ‘Awareness and commitment against trafficking’, which was held in the auditorium of the Mirador del Carmen. The meeting aimed to make visible, raise awareness and promote collective action against human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a reality that also affects the local environment.

The day was aimed at professionals from the educational, social, health, legal, business and law enforcement agencies, as well as the general public. Throughout the morning, key issues such as the situation of trafficking in the Costa del Sol, the structural causes that perpetuate it, its relationship with the consumption of prostitution and pornography and the role to be played by institutions, businesses and civil society in its eradication have been addressed.

With this initiative, the Estepona City Council reaffirms its commitment to the defense of human rights and the fight against any form of exploitation, promoting spaces for reflection, awareness and active participation in the community.

The event was attended by the Prosecutor of the Court / Unit of Trafficking in Persons and Foreigners, Beatriz Sánchez Álvarez, the Chief Commissioner of the Central Unit of Illegal Immigration Networks and Documentary Forgery, Luis Mayandía, responsible for the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard, the national deputy for Malaga in the Congress of Deputies, Cristóbal Garre and the director of the Center for the Global Common Good of the University Francisco de Vitoria, Ignacio Cosidó.

In the second part of the day, the situation of trafficking and challenges from the social sphere in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz have been addressed. The representatives of the following groups participated: Melissa Mann (Hogar Betania), Kiersi Watt (Amar Dragoste) and Esther Diaz Santiago (Demeter), as well as the representative of the delegation of Economic Development and SMEs of the City of Marbella, Cristina Pinto. Patricia Rodríguez González, director of the Child Heroes Foundation, also took part in the meeting.

The conference is organized by the Child Heroes Foundation, the Center for the Common Good of the Francisco de Vitoria University, the Rotary Club of Puerto Banus and the Hotel Occidental Puerto Banus of Barcelo Hotel Group, with the collaboration of the City of Estepona.