The Women Parliamentarians of T&T successfully led a second group of women through its Young Women Empowered to Serve or YES programme.
After an application process earlier this year, women ages 18 to 29 were selected to participate in a program aimed at equipping women with the necessary skills to occupy spaces of influence like, but not limited to, political organisations.
Friday, they took part in a debate in parliament, sitting on the government and opposition benches discussing the issue of human trafficking in T&T.
00:00Mentored by female parliamentarians past and present, a group of women ages 18 to 29 on Friday culminated their training by participating in a parliamentary debate, the mock motion, strengthening of policies, legislation, law enforcement and rehabilitation to address the issue of human trafficking in TNT, a motion brought by the Yes Leadership Program's appointed opposition leader.
00:26We should act together and not divided. The issue of human trafficking should never be politicized. So I appeal to the members of the government bench today that a vote in support of this motion is a vote in support of the most vulnerable in society. I thank you, Madam Speaker.
00:42Rebuttals were heard from both sides of the chamber as evidence was presented on the actions or inactions of various state agencies towards the protection of women, children and migrants, a firm stance taken by the program's national security minister against human traffickers.
01:01Tell them, do not threaten the victims and their families. Threaten us, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, so I would lift up my gun. I'd call her justice. And I would aim with precision. And I would load her up with effective strategies and policies.
01:21And I would squeeze the trigger of legislation on them, Madam Speaker. I would burn their skin. Unlike the opposition, who only shoots from their mouth.
01:34Strategies to tackle the issues included the use of AI and technology.
01:39As social media use skyrockets among children and teens, traffickers are adapting, using fake identities, grooming tactics and algorithmic reach to prey on the vulnerable.
01:53The Internet, for all the good it has given us, has become these sick traffickers hunting ground. But it is also where we are going to start fighting back.
02:02Whichever side of the chamber they sat, the young woman of the YES program executed the debate with the skills and knowledge imparted to them over the course of the mentorship.
02:12This is a layered, multifaceted, nuanced issue. In one in which we must understand, if, listen, it was even stated by the leader of opposition that she's calling for collaboration.
02:22But if she truly understood collaboration, then the opposition will not call and set an arbitrary deadline of six months.
02:30For long-lasting change, you want six months? We can give you outcomes.
02:34But for long-changed, sustainable foundations to be laid, we need more time.
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