Blog
The Fight Against Human Trafficking: The Pursuit of Justice in the Dominican Republic
The Fight Against Human Trafficking and the Pursuit of Justice in the Dominican Republic. In the lush landscapes of the Dominican Republic (DR), a country celebrated for its beautiful beaches and vibrant culture, lies an insidious issue that casts a dark shadow: human...
Between Neglect and Exploitation: Modern Slavery in Peru
A recent study on modern slavery in Peru conducted by Free the Slaves and ONOTZI in the Peruvian Amazon’s regions of Ucayali and Huánuco uncovers the harsh realities of four Indigenous communities.
Freedom from Slavery Forum Ambassadorship
My name is Grace Kalekye, and I am a passionate advocate against Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery. In 2022, I had the honor of being elected as the most impactful Survivor Advocate by the Elkes Impact Award and Free the Slaves. I was recognized for exposing...
Get Involved
Joint Statement and Call to Action on the Crisis in Haiti
In response to the crisis in Haiti, which has deepened in the wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, we, the undersigned individuals and organizations, express our condolences and sympathy to all of the Haitian families that have lost a loved one to the...
FTS Joins Global Push to End Child Labor
Saturday, June 12 is the U.N. World Day Against Child Labor, and this year takes on special importaance because 2021 is the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor. Organizations around the globe, including Free the Slaves, have pledged to create special...
ATEST Briefs Congress on Opportunities for Action
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...
Our Work
Understanding the Modern Slavery Landscape of the Middle East and North Africa
Women, children, migrants, refugees, and other minorities are especially vulnerable to human rights violations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This vulnerability is magnified by a wide range of factors, including economic instability, conflict, climate...
Fair Food: Who Picked Your Produce?
Editor’s Note: This guest blog from a Free the Slaves advocacy partner in the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking highlights how a key program to fight modern slavery in American agriculture has moved from a theory of change to a proven solution. The Coalition of...
Cutting the Long-term Costs of COVID-19: Building Resilience Against Exploitation in Senegal and Kenya
To date, the cost of the global COVID-19 pandemic has most frequently been measured in lives lost and the cost to domestic economies, while triumphs have often been charted in terms of vaccine roll-outs and partial or full returns to the ‘freedoms’ outside lockdown. ...
News
Slavery Survivors Help Haiti’s COVID-19 Response
I’d like to share some important and inspiring news from our program in Haiti. There’s a deep sense of community spirit among Haiti’s slavery survivors. That’s why the Adult Survivor Network has stepped forward to be part of the country’s response to the COVID-19...
FTS Solidarity Statement on Racial Violence and Justice in the United States
On behalf of Free the Slaves, we stand in solidarity with the growing global outcry against racial violence and for racial justice in the United States. Free the Slaves is appalled by the ongoing systemic injustices directed at Black people and other people of color...
Freedom Forward
It is a great honor for me to become the next chair of the board of directors for Free the Slaves, one of the founding and leading organizations of the global movement against modern slavery. I am grateful to my dear friend and predecessor, Dan Elkes, whose uncommon...
Americas
Situation Report from Haiti
You may have seen in the news that the situation is tense in Haiti, where Free the Slaves operates a field program in partnership with Beyond Borders. We thought you might want to hear the latest news from David Diggs of the team. It’s been a difficult year in Haiti,...
You Make World Day Against Trafficking in Persons a Success
On this World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, you might be wondering if there's anything you can do to end modern slavery. Turns out, as a Free the Slaves supporter you're already doing a lot! The Free the Slaves rescue boat in Ghana liberates 15 children from...
Grandmother Safeguards Five Children through FTS Savings Club
When we visit villages that are targeted by traffickers, we see that modern slavery is, at its core, an economic crime. That's why we were thrilled to hear from an inspiring grandmother named Stella Abrokwah in Arkrah, Ghana. She explained how our Village Savings and...
Asia
Integrating Anti-Trafficking Work into COVID-19 Medical Interventions
International development and humanitarian relief programs frequently work in areas where modern slavery flourishes. This connection has deepened as the COVID-19 global pandemic increases social and economic vulnerabilities to human trafficking. But in India, a...
How FTS Supports Survivors in Coping with COVID-19 Lockdowns in Vietnam
Free the Slaves has recently partnered with HopeBox, a social enterprise in Hanoi, Vietnam that operates on a mission to empower women who are victims of abuse and modern slavery. With a shared mission to empower survivors of modern slavery in Vietnam, FTS is...
FTS Supports Livelihood Social Enterprise in Vietnam for Trafficking Survivors
Free the Slaves' success has always relied on one critical element: engaging grassroots partner organizations that are part of the community to build community-driven solutions. To help address human trafficking in Vietnam, FTS has just formed a partnership with...
Africa
Fighting Slavery by Starting a Community Led Savings and Loan
Poverty and the absence of legitimate sources of credit are two of the key conditions that allow modern slavery to exist. People without resources are vulnerable to offers of cash, food or livestock if they send a child away with a trafficker. People without credit...
Rebuilding Young Lives Scarred by Slavery
The Village of Life shelter is exactly what modern slavery survivors need. It’s a vibrant and supportive place – far from the hardships and exploitation that children experience when enslaved in remote fishing villages along Lake Volta in Ghana. My visit to this...
Child Rights Begin with Children
The village school in Kobiri Nsuoano is a beacon of hope. It’s a simple building down a bumpy narrow road. But what happens inside is revolutionary. Children are learning about their rights as part of a Free the Slaves program to prevent them from being trafficked...