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2023 Global Forum Side Event Application

Apply below to facilitate one of six side events at the 2023 Global Forum in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

These 90-minute sessions will allow organizations to highlight diverse issues of modern slavery within their field of expertise.

Apply to provide leadership on one of the topics outlined below.

What are Side Events?

Side events are key components of the Global Forum’s agenda and contribute immensely to the learning on the most pressing issues and outputs of the Global Forum in general. These 90-minute sessions will allow organizations to highlight diverse issues of modern slavery within their field of expertise. Since two side events will be held each day simultaneously, participants can diversify and deepen their understanding and knowledge. 

Side events are issue-based compared to skill-based workshops. Thus, the facilitating organization is expected to have significant knowledge of the topic they want to present. The sessions should be informative and allow for questions from participants. Considering that different stakeholders from different sectors of the anti-slavery movement will join the side events, it is crucial to consider different levels of knowledge. The presentation should thus be useful to participants interested in but with little prior knowledge on the topic, as well as experts in the field. 

Why Apply to Facilitate a Side Event?

Side events are established as a platform for organizations to highlight diverse anti-modern slavery issues at the 2023 Global Forum. They are vital components of the forum as they provide opportunities for more learning, notional building, and issue discussion, as well as legitimize thematic, global, or regional priorities. Furthermore, they allow for more visibility for the presenting organization, placing them on a global stage with stakeholders worldwide.

How to Apply to Facilitate a Side Event

Please complete the application form below on this page to apply for a side event. Please make sure you apply for a side event, not a workshop. It is possible to apply under multiple side event themes; however, your organization may only be chosen for one to provide opportunities for as many organizations as possible to present. If you wish to apply under multiple themes, please fill out a separate application form for each.

Available Topics for Side Events

Survivor Engagement

This side event will assist participants in developing knowledge and skills to foster meaningful and ethical allyship, establish new narratives for working with survivors of human trafficking, and refine our understanding of survivors’ perspectives.

Demand-Driven Forced Labor

This side event will focus on building an understanding of different modes of economic markets and how they relate to modern slavery. Participants will gain an understanding of consumer behavior, the disadvantages of open markets and globalization, and what we can do to effectively combat these issues.

Modern Slavery and Global Threats

Understand the interrelationship between climate change, conflict or economic instability, and modern slavery; identify opportunities for the anti-modern slavery and other movements to work together; consider how survivors can educate and work with their communities.

Learning About and From other Movements

The objective of this side event is to explore how movements work drawing on the experience of other movements with the aim of establishing learning points for the anti-modern slavery movement. These movements could include labor movements, sexual violence in conflict, Black Lives Matter, child soldiers, etc.

Collaboration and Resource Mobilization

This side event will provide an overview of successful ways of gaining funding; establish how stakeholders can empower survivor-led organizations to be at the forefront of the movement; consider gaps and challenges of funding after COVID-19; and/or share lessons learned from effective collaborations and resource-sharing initiatives.

Policy Approaches and Their Relation to Achieving a Survivor-Centered Movement

The purpose of this side event is to explore lessons learned from effective policy interventions and/or harmful policies that threaten the anti-modern slavery movement.

 Alliance 8.7 and the Pathfinder Process

This side event discusses the importance of the pathfinder process and how civil society organizations can engage the Alliance 8.7 in pushing for a survivor-centered approach.

 Propose a Side Event Topic

Propose a Side Event topic that is not in the list above that is important to you, your organization, and your partners and collaborators. We welcome proposals on all topics

Criteria for Selection of Applicants

  • Proposals should demonstrate clear alignment with the theme and objectives of the side event and contribute to the progression of the conversation toward the goals of the forum.
  • Proposals should demonstrate critical thought on diversity within the subject matter.
  • Although topics may be centered around work or issues within a specific country or region, there should be clear applicability to the global context.
  • In keeping with the theme for the Global Forum this year, presentations should prioritize survivor engagement both within the content and in the delivery of the material.
  • Proposals should demonstrate expertise on the chosen topic.
  • Proposals should present a novel approach or way of thinking on the chosen topic.

Applications have closed. Chosen facilitators will be notified by March 31, 2023, at the latest.