Three trailblazing organizations have joined the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST), expanding the alliance’s depth and breadth of expertise and strengthening the alliance’s collective voice. HEAL Trafficking, Humanity United Action and the McCain Institute for International Leadership bring the alliance to 15 member organizations. Free the Salves serves as the alliance co-chair and secretariat.
HEAL Trafficking
HEAL Trafficking is a network of more than 3,500 survivors and multidisciplinary professionals in 35 countries building the capacity of health care systems and health professionals to respond to trafficking. HEAL works to mobilize a shift in the anti-trafficking paradigm toward approaches rooted in public health principles and trauma-informed care.
“HEAL Trafficking is thrilled to join ATEST,” said HEAL Executive Director Hanni Stoklosa. “The majority of trafficked persons in the United States access health care while being trafficked. However most health systems and health professionals are not prepared to respond to trafficked persons. By bringing HEAL’s unique health care and public health expertise to the critical anti-trafficking policy work that the ATEST does, our vision is that all people who experience trafficking and access health care will be set on a path of healing and thriving.”
Humanity United Action
Humanity United Action is dedicated to cultivating the conditions for enduring freedom and peace. The organization develops relationships and engages with key government and advocacy stakeholders in pursuit of legal and policy change, regulatory action, and public funding.
“It is an honor to join the ATEST coalition”’ said Corban Teague, Humanity United Action’s Senior Advisor for Policy and Government Relations. “ATEST has led the anti-trafficking field for over a decade, establishing itself as the premier anti-trafficking advocacy coalition. In bringing together organizations that work on a variety of forms of trafficking and forced labor, across different geographies and with a variety of different methods, ATEST is able to provide policymakers informed, quality recommendations that come from a place of consensus in the field. Humanity United Action looks forward to contributing to the work done by this impactful coalition.”
McCain Institute for International Leadership
Inspired by the character-driven leadership of Senator John McCain and his family’s legacy of public service, the McCain Institute implements programs and initiatives to make a difference in people’s lives across a range of critical areas: leadership development, human rights, rule of law, national security, counterterrorism and combatting human trafficking.
“The Alliance to End Trafficking and Slavery plays a vital role in advocating for long lasting solutions to prevent and end all forms of human trafficking. We are honored to join this distinguished group and look forward to working collaboratively to create systemic change in the U.S. and around the world.” said Kristen Abrams, senior director of the McCain Institute’s Combatting Human Trafficking program. “ATEST membership aligns with our action-oriented, victim-centered approach and we look forward to working as a part of this coalition to advocate for deliberate, actionable and strategic national efforts to combat human trafficking.”
About ATEST:
The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking is a U.S. based coalition that advocates for solutions to prevent and end all forms of human trafficking and modern slavery around the world. We advocate for lasting solutions to prevent labor and sex trafficking, hold perpetrators accountable, ensure justice for victims and empower survivors with tools for recovery.
“ATEST will be stronger and more effective with HEAL Trafficking, Humanity United Action and the McCain Institute,” said ATEST Co-Chair Terry FitzPatrick. “Each of these organizations has a remarkable record of innovation and accomplishment. They will be instrumental in ATEST’s ongoing collective efforts to advocate for holistic strategies for government action to end trafficking at home and abroad.”
Other ATEST Member Organizations:
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST), Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), Free the Slaves, Human Trafficking Institute, National Network for Youth (NN4Y), Polaris, Safe Horizon, Solidarity Center, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, United Way, Verité and Vital Voices Global Partnership
Learn More about ATEST: www.endslaveryandtrafficking.org
