Human Dignity Value Education as an Effort to Prevent Human Trafficking in the Parish of Hati Tersuci Maria Oe-Ekam, South Central Timor
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59944/postaxial.v4i3.1860Keywords:
Catholic, social, teaching, human dignity, human trafficking, parish-based education, value educationAbstract
Abstract:
Human trafficking continues to threaten human dignity in South Central Timor, East Nusa Tenggara, where poverty, limited education, and migration pressures increase vulnerability. The Catholic Church, through its parishes, has assumed a frontline preventive role. This study examines the implementation of human dignity value education as an effort to prevent human trafficking in the Parish of Hati Tersuci Maria Oe-Ekam, South Central Timor. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected from January to June 2026 through semi-structured interviews with sixteen informants including the parish priest, catechists, youth leaders, and community members; participant observation; and document analysis. Data were analyzed thematically. The findings show that human dignity education is integrated into catechesis, liturgical homilies, and community-based organic farming training. This approach has raised awareness of trafficking modus operandi and strengthened community vigilance, particularly among youth. However, challenges remain: the absence of a standardized anti-trafficking curriculum, ad hoc coordination with government agencies, and persistent economic vulnerability that drives migration. The study concludes that faith-based value education grounded in Catholic social teaching offers a culturally resonant and community-embedded preventive mechanism. It recommends institutionalizing anti-trafficking modules in parish catechesis, strengthening inter-institutional collaboration, and expanding livelihood programs to address structural drivers of trafficking.
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