May 13th is a special day in Brazil. It’s the date Brazilians celebrate the Abolition Act, which outlawed slavery here in 1888. This year marked the 125th anniversary. Of course, slavery still exists in Brazil even though it has been illegal for more than a century. That’s why officials in several Brazilian states picked this [...]

We talked to Jenks about what he’s learned from Chad, D-Real and Kaylin while filming the show.

Dear Friends, I recently completed my first 100 days as executive director of Free the Slaves. During my first weeks on the job, I spent most of my time reaching out to stakeholders: staff, board members, donors, peer organizations, policy makers and other FTS friends. These conversations have helped me develop a portrait of Free [...]

Several U.S. cabinet secretaries will gather Friday morning at the White House for the annual meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. The meeting will be chaired by Secretary of State John Kerry, and will include Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen [...]

I’m writing to tell you about an extraordinary man and his remarkable legal clinic in India. The man is Roshan Lal. He was raised in a family of slaves. Now he is free and helping those still in slavery. Roshan’s clinic is a testament to his courage and dedication. It’s a small brick outpost surrounded [...]

Anticipation is building for the release of this year’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report from the U.S. State Department. The report has become an important diplomatic tool in the fight against modern-day slavery. Businesses also use the rankings to understand the risks of slavery connected to their supply chains. This year’s report will be the [...]

Veero Kolhi is no stranger to adversity. She escaped single-handedly from slavery, and she’s helped hundreds of others overcome fear and intimidation to also break free. That’s why Free the Slaves honored Veero in 2009 with a Frederick Douglass Freedom Award. Tomorrow, Veero takes another inspiring step: she’s on the ballot for provincial parliament (Seat [...]

Great news from Hollywood this week: We’ve learned that the mtvU Against Our Will Campaign has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award! The campaign has been honored in the “New Approaches” category, in recognition of its innovative techniques to build awareness about trafficking among college students. Three leading anti-slavery organizations serve as partners and [...]

There’s a terrific online opportunity today at 1 p.m. ET to learn about the loosely regulated world of international labor recruiters, and what needs to be done to stop traffickers from posing as legitimate labor brokers. With millions of people on the move from poorer countries to wealthier ones, looking for a chance to build [...]

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, here’s a stylish way for your mom to show her love for children everywhere. We have partnered with the sustainable fashion company, Hearts, to create the Free the Slaves Key 2-in-1 necklace/bracelet. Inspired by the Free the Slaves padlock logo, jewelers designed a pewter key with the letters FTS, which can [...]

One of our goals at FTS is to “mainstream” anti-slavery work. That means getting field workers for charities and development institutions, such as USAID and the United Nations, to recognize slavery when they see it, and take appropriate action. A recent article by FTS Associate Programs Director Ginny Baumann helps to do just that. Her [...]

Editor’s Note: Slavery survivor Timea Nagy now helps others escape enslavement on the streets of Canada. She is a recipient of a Free the Slaves Freedom Award for her heroic resilience and ongoing commitment to others. Her group, Walk with Me, has recently released a powerful music video, which we thought you should see. We [...]

The End It campaign wants everyone to know that there are 27 million men, women and children living in the shadows. In brothels. In factories. In quarries. Working as slaves. In countries throughout the world, including the U.S. Their two-month awakening campaign has raised more than $175,000 to benefit anti-slavery groups, including Free the Slaves. [...]

Trickery cuts a wide swath in India’s impoverished communities. People often leave home in search of work, and many find themselves being trafficked instead. FTS frontline partner MSEMVS aims to change that. And young people are at the heart of the strategy. The goal of the Trafficking Prevention Plan is to stop migration from becoming [...]

From Snow White to the Hulk, check out how your fave heroes have made a difference off screen too!

We see slavery and trafficking stories throughout the world each week. It’s great news that journalists and bloggers are exposing the problem of slavery, and examining solutions to it. Awareness creates momentum for change. Here are 10 top stories that caught our eye: 1. The Journal of Commerce. “EU Seeks Supply Chain Input on ‘Conflict [...]

It’s a three-peat! America’s premiere charity evaluation organization has given its highest designation to Free the Slaves for the third straight year. The four-star rating indicates that Free the Slaves “adheres to good governance and other best practices,” says Charity Navigator President and CEO Ken Berger, “and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible [...]

We see slavery and trafficking stories throughout the world each week. It’s great news that journalists and bloggers are exposing the problem of slavery, and examining solutions to it. Awareness creates momentum for change. Here are 10 top stories that caught our eye: 1. The New York Times. “Bill on Crime Against Women Passes in [...]

Slavery is a global problem, but it can be overcome. It’s a simple but important message. And I was recently honored to deliver it at Lehigh University’s recent event on human trafficking and modern slavery. The presentation paralleled the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the world’s principal global [...]

We see slavery and trafficking stories throughout the world each week. It’s great news that journalists and bloggers are exposing the problem of slavery, and examining solutions to it. Awareness creates momentum for change. Here are 10 top stories that caught our eye: 1. CSR Wire. “Hershey and Barry Callebaut Lag Industry in Addressing Child [...]

Readers of the FTS Blog may remember the heroism of Ghanaian slavery survivor James Kofi Annan. He received a 2008 Free the Slaves Freedom Award for his work to rescue children from fishing slavery, as well as his work to educate children to prevent the spread of slavery. Now, James has been nominated for a [...]

We see slavery and trafficking stories throughout the world each week. It’s great news that journalists and bloggers are exposing the problem of slavery, and examining solutions to it. Awareness creates momentum for change. Here are 10 top stories that caught our eye: 1. Wired. “Child Labor, Environmental Destruction, and Dangerous Working Conditions: Is Small-Scale [...]

President Obama put his signature Thursday onto the cornerstone legislation that guides the federal government’s anti-slavery activities. Reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was included in the renewed Violence Against Women Act. The combined bill passed Congress with bipartisan support in February. The bill signing was attended by hundreds of activists, government officials and [...]

Early March includes two key dates that remind us of the importance of women in the struggle for human rights. Today, March 8th is International Women’s Day, a global observance of the contributions made by women who are working to improve the political, social and economic status of women throughout the world. Sunday, March 10th [...]

Nepali officials have begun their first-ever systematic investigation of sex slavery inside Kathmandu restaurants and dance bars. It’s raising hope that safety and freedom can be established for women who are secretly exploited and sexually harassed by owners and clients. About 50,000 women and girls work in restaurants, dance bars and massage parlors in Nepal’s [...]