Members of the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST), including FTS Board Member Evelyn Chumbow, and leaders from the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus and the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking gathered this week for a virtual briefing and discussion about initiatives to combat human trafficking during the 117th Congress.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) is up for reauthorization this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has created new stresses on federal programs that fight human trafficking and address its root causes. ATEST presented its summary of recommendations for rethorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
What changes are needed to make America’s landmark anti-trafficking law even stronger? How can anti-trafficking appropriations be bolstered to meet the magnitude of the moment?
This critical and timely conversation included human rights experts, human trafficking survivor leaders, and members from the House and Senate Human Trafficking Caucuses.
Speakers:
- Moderator: Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer, Polaris
- Representative Chris Smith (R, New Jersey) Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus
- Representative Carolyn Maloney (D, New York), Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus
- Senator Rob Portman (R, Ohio), Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking
- Shawna Bader-Blau, Executive Director, Solidarity Center
- Kay Buck, Chief Executive Officer, CAST
- Hanni Stoklosa, MD, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Heal Trafficking
- Evelyn Chumbow, Human Trafficking Survivor Leader, Board Member of Free the Slaves
- Anita Teekah, Senior Director of the Anti-trafficking Program, Safe Horizon
- Annick Febrey, Director of Government and Corporate Relations, Human Trafficking Institute
Free the Slaves serves as ascretariat and co-chair of ATEST.
