Blog
Strengthening Survivor Voices: Training with Survivor Groups in the Philippines
This initiative represents more than just empowerment; it is about creating leaders who can drive meaningful change in their communities and inspire others to join the fight against human trafficking. By focusing on survivor leadership, we are building a movement that is rooted in the experiences and voices of those who have lived through the horrors of trafficking, ensuring that their insights guide our collective efforts to end modern slavery.
Efforts to Protect India’s Migrant Workers from Trafficking and Exploitation
Many Indian migrants who seek employment abroad are forced into construction, domestic work, factories, and other low-skilled sectors in regions like the Gulf countries or Malaysia. This often follows recruitment during which migrants face fraud and exorbitant recruitment fees associated with high risks of debt bondage. Indian migrant workers, in Gulf countries report exploitation, particularly as a result of recruitment deception and recruitment debt, as well as non-payment of wages, contract violations, and physical abuse. Some women are exploited in sex trafficking while migrating for employment.
Survivor-Led Radio Shows in Nairobi Illuminate Human Trafficking Realities
These survivor-led radio shows not only educated the public but also empowered survivors to share their stories and advocate for change. The discussions reached a wide audience, raising awareness and encouraging collective action against human trafficking.
Get Involved
Inaugural Elkes Impact Award Winners Announced
The Elkes Impact Awards were established in recognition of the tremendous work local advocate survivors and civil society organizations are doing in their communities. Local survivors and organizations too often do not receive widespread acknowledgment of their work,...
2021 Regional Forums Initiative Concludes
It’s been a busy past three months! The Freedom from Slavery Forum held three regional events focusing on Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and the combined regions of North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. This concluded the series of 2021 regional...
Omicron Variant Postpones Annual Freedom from Slavery Forum
Due to the sharp rise in cases and uncertainty associated with the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, Free the Slaves is announcing the postponement of the global Freedom from Slavery Forum in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Forum, scheduled for December 5-8, would have...
Our Work
Free the Slaves Partners with Three Filipino Organizations
Free the Slaves is excited to announce new partnerships with local organizations in the Philippines. These partnerships will allow us better to understand the context of slavery in the Philippines and strengthen our efforts to combat it. We partner with the Balaod...
I still have hope in my 50’s
Last year Free The Slaves joined HopeBox, an NGO based in Vietnam, to serve survivors of domestic abuse and slavery. While working in the city of Hanoi, Free The Slaves and Hope Box had the privilege of meeting Tina*. This is Tina’s story of overcoming fear and...
Raising Awareness in Schools
“One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai. Children are like clay. We can mold them into any shape and form just by our actions or our words. If we take the time to educate children, FTS and our partners believe that many...
News
Grassroots Advocacy Continues via Zoom
The COVID-19 global pandemic has disrupted anti-trafficking work around the world. But the Free the Saves India team has continued to press ahead with vital online advocacy training that builds bridges between communities and government officials. FTS work in India...
Situation Update: Dominican Republic
The COVID-19 state of emergency and curfew continues in the Dominican Republic as the contagion spreads. Hospitals are full. Government aid has not reached impoverished communities where Free the Slaves works because of discrimination toward residents of Haitian...
Everyone Deserves a Mask
As the country director for Free the Slaves in the Dominican Republic, I work in tandem with local partners against the conditions that perpetuate exploitation and trafficking in vulnerable communities. Many of the people we work directly with are undocumented Haitian...
Americas
Acceptance Leads to Freedom
It’s a simple concept, and a universal value: acceptance. “He who is different from me does not impoverish me — he enriches me,” wrote the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. But in the Dominican Republic, a lack of acceptance fuels modern slavery. Haitian...
Valuing Courage in Times of Crisis
There are few places on earth where it’s harder to stand up for human rights than Haiti. On this year’s Human Rights Day, we’d like to share an update about our courageous front-line activists there, who continue to fight child slavery even in times of national...
Bukeni Tete Waruzi Joins Free the Slaves as Executive Director
Free the Slaves is thrilled to announce that a courageous advocate for the rights of women and children has joined the organization as executive director. Bukeni Tete Waruzi has helped put a Congolese warlord behind bars, has helped women trafficked into domestic...
Asia
Free the Slaves Joins Discussion on Overseas Filipino Workers’ Rights
Immigrants and overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are vital to the Philippine economy. It’s estimated of the 109 million people residing in the Philippines, 1.77 million Filipinos are OFWs. Despite their important role in the Philippine economy, many of these seasonal...
Free the Slaves Partners with Three New Organizations in Vietnam
Free the Slaves is excited to announce our new partnerships in Vietnam. These partnerships will allow us to understand more about the country and its need to have more players in the human trafficking space. These partnership endeavors are essential for developing...
Free the Slaves Partners with Three Filipino Organizations
Free the Slaves is excited to announce new partnerships with local organizations in the Philippines. These partnerships will allow us better to understand the context of slavery in the Philippines and strengthen our efforts to combat it. We partner with the Balaod...
Africa
Champions of Justice in Mauritania
In Mauritania, a country where the shadows of poverty linger and the remnants of slavery still impact lives, a dedicated team of paralegals from Free the Slaves (FTS) are tirelessly working to shed light on the path toward justice and human rights. Through their...
The Problem of Statelessness and Possible Solutions in the Middle East and North Africa
An urgent and all-encompassing human rights crisis exists in the MENA region regarding the condition of people who do not have the backing of a government, also known as stateless individuals. These people face a multitude of obstacles that diminish their quality of...
Empowering Media to Shine a Light on the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation in Kédougou
A two-day media capacity building workshop was held on December 4th and 5th, 2023, in Kédougou, where 20 journalists from various media houses came together to deepen their understanding and reporting skills on a grave issue affecting the region, which is the...