It’s exciting to see anti-slavery activism highlighted in this year’s CNN Heroes. Mira Sorvino, who was named UN Goodwill Ambassador for Human Trafficking last year is presenting and promoting the campaign. And one of the 10 runners up is Anuradha Koirala, founder of anti-slavery organization Maiti Nepal.
Sorvino has been involved in anti-slavery work since at least 2005, when she appeared in the Lifetime film “Human Trafficking,” playing an ICE agent—a role that earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
Anuradha Koirala founded Maiti Nepal in 1993 in order to combat human rights abuses toward women. Maiti is focused on rescuing and rehabiliting survivors of sex slavery—and to prosecute perpetrators of the crime. The organization has reportedly emancipated 12,000 women and girls altogether.
Maiti is an affiliate of the Philippines-based organization ECPAT (End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking)—a recipient of the 2008 Free the Slaves William Wilberforce Award.
See video of Sorvino and Koirala after the jump!
Voting for the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year is going on now. The winner will be unveiled on Thanksgiving, during the airing of “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.”