A multi-sectoral roundtable convened by Free the Slaves and the DOJ–Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking brought together government agencies, civil society, international partners, and survivor leaders to strengthen the Philippines’ response to labor trafficking. The discussion highlighted evolving trafficking trends, operational challenges, and survivor-led recommendations that will guide future inter-agency collaboration and national strategies.

Free the Slaves collaborated with the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago and the Judicial Education Institute to convene a two-day sensitization workshop on trafficking in persons. The workshop brought together judges, magistrates, and court officers to strengthen judicial capacity, deepen understanding of legal and institutional frameworks, and advance survivor-centered approaches in trafficking adjudication. This marks a significant step in improving justice outcomes for survivors and supporting effective prosecution of trafficking in persons in Trinidad and Tobago.

In Kenya, survivors of trafficking are leading a landmark push for safer migration. Free the Slaves and Kituo cha Sheria, together with Haki Jamii Rights Centre and 12 survivor petitioners, are pursuing a public-interest case calling for stronger protections for Kenyan migrant workers—especially women employed as domestic workers in the Gulf. The case, grounded in lived experience and survivor testimony, exposes systemic gaps in recruitment, oversight, and worker protection, and seeks long-term reforms that ensure dignity, accountability, and safety for all Kenyans working abroad.

Free the Slaves convened a high-level strategic meeting in Dakar to confront the rising crisis of sexual exploitation in the gold mining zones of Kédougou. The gathering brought together Senegalese authorities, international partners, and regional experts to strengthen coordination, accelerate protection efforts, and ensure survivor-centered support for the hundreds of girls and women affected. This meeting marks a critical step toward a unified, urgent response to a rapidly escalating humanitarian issue.

Free the Slaves Philippines recently joined government agencies and civil society partners in a national workshop to review and strengthen the guidelines that prohibit hazardous work for children. As emerging forms of labor and new risk environments continue to evolve, this review is a critical step in ensuring that protections remain relevant, enforceable, and firmly centered on the rights and safety of children. Through our participation, Free the Slaves reinforced its commitment to supporting policies that prevent exploitation before it begins and uphold every child’s right to a safe and healthy future.

Free the Slaves, in its role as Secretariat to the Caribbean Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons (CCATIP), helped convene a four-day regional conference to reflect on 25 years of the Palermo Protocol and strengthen collective responses to trafficking across the Caribbean. Bringing together governments, civil society, survivor leaders, youth advocates, regional agencies, and international partners, the conference provided space to assess progress, share innovations, and chart strategic priorities for the decade ahead. Grounded in survivor-informed and community-centered approaches, the gathering underscored that lasting change requires collaboration, accountability, and sustained care for those working on the frontlines of anti-trafficking efforts.