The name Talitha Kum comes from the Aramaic words found in the Gospel of Mark (5:41), meaning “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
These are the words Jesus spoke when He took the hand of Jairus’ daughter and restored her to life. Inspired by this Gospel passage, the name symbolizes the restoration of dignity, hope, and new life for those who have been wounded, exploited, or deprived of their freedom.
Driven by this call, Talitha Kum serves as the international network of the Catholic Church. Its mission is to end human trafficking, modern slavery, and forced labor and to restore the dignity and human rights of those who are oppressed.
Established in 2009 as a program of the International Union of Superiors General of Women’s Religious Orders (UISG) in Rome, Talitha Kum has evolved into a global network connecting Sisters and collaborators worldwide.
Talitha Kum International Network
Talitha Kum International
Based in Rome, this hub connects national Talitha Kum networks worldwide. On February 8—the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita and the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking—it hosts a global prayer relay. Talitha Kum Japan actively participates in this initiative each year.
