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The 2023 Global Freedom from Slavery Forum will be held in the Dominican Republic May 7 – 10, 2023

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TIME TO ACT: GALVANIZING AROUND A SURVIVOR-CENTERED ANTI-MODERN SLAVERY MOVEMENT

The 2023 Global Forum will bring together a large number of stakeholders to reaffirm the focus of the anti-modern slavery movement around meaningful engagement with survivors and inspire cohesive action that galvanizes the movement around a survivor-centered response to modern slavery.

The goal of this special 10th-anniversary event is to establish a cohesive narrative across the anti-slavery movement.

Currently, modern slavery is not recognized globally as an issue of universal concern. A strong, united way forward is needed to catalyze acknowledgment of the scale of the problem at local, regional, and global levels and generate the public and political will necessary to successfully end modern slavery.

The 2023 Global Forum comes at a time when modern slavery has increased around the world, and the contributing factors are exacerbating the scale of the problem.

 

According to global estimates, nearly 50 million people were living in modern slavery in 2021. Of these people, nearly 28 million were in forced labor. While these figures do not tell the whole story, they help us get a sense of the scale of the problem and call for us as a movement to respond with urgency.

“The 10th anniversary of the Forum represents an opportunity for the movement to look forward and cast a vision for how stakeholders can better coordinate, prioritize, and focus in order to increase the impact of efforts to eradicate modern slavery around the world.

 

It will be an occasion to elevate our collective voices and efforts to create a future without modern slavery.”

– Bukeni Waruzi, Executive Director, Free the Slaves

Why attend the Global Forum?

The Global Freedom from Slavery Forums are the premier thought leadership events for the anti-modern slavery and anti-trafficking movement.

The success of the Regional Freedom from Slavery Forums over the last two years has generated considerable momentum toward uniting the movement around a survivor-centered approach to ending modern slavery.

Now is the time to gather as a global movement and capitalize on this momentum to shape global discussions, practices, and solutions and increase the impact of our efforts to end modern slavery.

Attending the Global Forum gives you the opportunity to contribute your experience and wisdom to shape the future direction of the movement to end modern slavery.

At the Global Forum you will:

Learn

Learn

Learn from and be inspired by key leaders, thinkers, and innovators.

Contribute

Contribute

Contribute your experiences, knowledge, and perspectives.

Collaborate

Collaborate

Collaborate with your peers to shape the future of the anti-slavery movement.

Network

Network

Connect with anti-slavery leaders, survivors, researchers, policymakers, and advocates from around the world.

2023 Global Forum Plenary Topics

Survivor-Centered Movement: Practices and Lessons for an Effective Anti-Modern Slavery Movement

This plenary discusses how the survivor-centered approach is practiced in different areas of modern slavery responses including policymaking, care and protection, prevention, research, etc.

This could specifically look at forced labor, human trafficking, child labor etc.

This can also include learning from other similar movements and how they use a survivor-centered approach in their movements.

Demand-Driven Forced Labor: Tackling and Dismantling the Global Economic Model that Fuels Modern Slavery

This plenary discusses how to tackle and dismantle the economic model – extractive profit combined with a demand for cheap goods, services, and labor that fuels modern slavery counterpointed by the endless supply of vulnerable people. In short, the economic system that allows modern slavery to flourish.

Awareness Raising for Ending Modern Slavery: Effective Mobilization and Elevating of Our Voices

This plenary discusses the need for an increased mobilization, sensitization, and engagement of stakeholders (public and private sectors, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, Media, UN, the general public, etc) to effectively elevate our voices in the communities and make modern slavery a real concern for the public while promoting an effective survivor-centered approach for the movement.

It also explores how other movements are raising awareness through the lens of a survivor-centered approach.

Global Forum Agenda

5:00 p.m. – Opening Reception for the Forum’s 10th Anniversary

 

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Keynote Speech

8:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Panel: Survivor-Centered Movement: Practices and Lessons for an Effective Anti-Modern Slavery Movement

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events  (Issue-based Presentations)

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch Break

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events (Issue-based Presentations)

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Coffee Break 

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Two Simultaneous Workshops (Skill-based Learning Sessions)

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Keynote Speech

8:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Panel: Demand-Driven Forced Labor: Tackling and Dismantling the Global Economic Model that Fuels Modern Slavery

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events  (Issue-based Presentations)

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch Break

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events (Issue-based Presentations)

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Coffee Break

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Two Simultaneous Workshops (Skill-based Learning Sessions)

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Keynote Speech

8:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Panel: Awareness Raising for Ending Modern Slavery: Effective Mobilization and Elevating of our Voices

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events  (Issue-based Presentations)

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch Break

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Two Simultaneous Side Events (Issue-based Presentations)

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Coffee Break

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Two Simultaneous Workshops (Skill-based Learning Sessions)

5:00 p.m. – Conclusion of the Forum 

Learn More About Side Events

Side events are 90-minute sessions at the Global Forum that greatly contribute to informing participants about the most pressing issues and outcomes of the Global Forum in general.

Applications are closed. 

Learn more About Workshops

The workshops are 120-minute sessions at the Global Forum that teach tangible skills to forum participants to improve the effectiveness of the anti-modern slavery movement.

Applications are closed.

The Global Forum 2023 will take place May 7-10, 2023 in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

  1. Fill out the form below to reserve your place at the 2023 Global Forum.
  2. In your welcome email you will get instructions on how to purchase your all-inclusive stay at the conference hotel.
  3. Book your airline ticket.
  4. Watch for upcoming announcements on social media and in the forum email newsletter on speakers and conference activities.
  1. Airfare to the conference from your location
  2. Hotel Costs
    1. Single Occupancy – $238 USD per night (all inclusive)
    2. Double Occupancy – $280 USD per night (all inclusive for 2 people)
  3. Conference registration fee – $200 December 16, 2022 through March 31, 2023. Registration closes March 31, 2023.

 

    Airport to fly into is Punta Cana International Airport – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

    Conference hotel information will be delivered after registration.

    Questions about the application process can be sent to kiki.lindenau@freetheslaves.net

    More information will be coming by email and added to this page as the dates get closer.

    Visa information for the Dominican Republic – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/visa-requirements-for-dominican-republic

    If any National is traveling only for tourism purposes and has a valid multiple entry visa for USA, United Kingdom, Canada or Schengen, then any National may obtain a tourist card at their arrival in any airport of the Dominican Republic for a cost of US$10.00 with a validity of 30 days.

    Register for the 2023 Freedom From Slavery Global Forum

    Conference registration fee – $200 December 16, 2022, through April 7, 2023. Registration closes April 7, 2023.

    Please register ASAP, and submit any questions you may have to kiki.lindenau@freetheslaves.net

    Price: $ 200.00
    $ 0.00

    2023 Global Forum Planning Committee

    Dr. Andrew Catford

    Dr. Andrew Catford

    Global CEO

    Hagar International

    Dr. Andrew Catford's Bio

    Andrew has extensive experience in the international development sector, having lived and worked for over 20 years in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. He has a proven track record of leading organizations to grow and tangibly impact the lives of some of the most vulnerable children, youth, men, and women worldwide. Andrew has worked for non-governmental organizations, including World Vision and Build On, and for the consulting company Hassall GHD, successfully securing and implementing large-scale international development projects for a wide variety of donors. Andrew has been a Country Director in Senegal and the Solomon Islands, and he has been a Board Member of the Solomon Islands Development Services Exchange and Board Chair of the microfinance institution Vision Fund.

    Andrew holds a Ph.D. focused on effective community development approaches in Vietnam and he has also been a master’s degree lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne, lecturing in the courses of development theory, gender, project design, and monitoring & evaluation. Andrew is currently the Global CEO of Hagar International, an international NGO with operations in 12 countries and with over 200 staff globally which over its 29 years,  has become a recognized leader in its work to free and heal communities from the trauma of human trafficking, slavery, and abuse.

    Dr. Minh Dang

    Dr. Minh Dang

    Executive Director

    Survivor Alliance

    Minh Dang's Bio

    Minh Dang, MSW, PhD is the Executive Director of Survivor Alliance, an international NGO that empowers survivors to be leaders in their own communities. She is also a Research Fellow and Lead in Survivor Scholarship and Wellbeing at the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab. Her doctoral thesis, Wellbeing in our own Words: Survivors of slavery defining wellbeing, emphasizes the importance of moving beyond psychopathy when discussing survivors’ mental health and focusing on wellbeing.

    Minh was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area region of California and is a proud two-time UC Berkeley alum. Minh earned her B.A. in Sociology and Masters in Social Welfare, with an emphasis on Community Mental Health. Minh loves the outdoors, is a fan of farmers’ markets, and the person making silly faces at your child in the supermarket. You will rarely find her without a journal or post-it notes, and hopes that someone will pay her to launch a stationery line called Minhspiration.

    Jacob Flärdh

    Jacob Flärdh

    Chairman

    Child 10 Foundation

    Jacob Flärdh's Bio

    Jacob Flärdh has extensive experience in international work for children’s rights with a collaborative impact approach. He has spent most of his career in multi-sectoral partnerships; academia, business industry, civil society, and the public sector working together to strengthen the rights of the child. Jacob is the initiator and first Chair of the World Anti-Bullying Forum, and as a former Head of Research, he has led several research projects on the impact and implementation of interventions to protect children from violence. Today Jacob is the Chairman of the Child10 Foundation, The Swedish Platform Civil Society against Human Trafficking and the Youth2030 Movement as well as board member of the Friends Foundation.

    Me Andrews Kananga

    Me Andrews Kananga

    Executive Director

    Legal Aid Rwanda

    Me Andrews Kananga's Bio

    Andrews Kananga is the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Forum in Rwanda since 2008. A lawyer by profession, Andrews has over 18 years of experience in the legal field. Andrews’ legal expertise is around governance and justice sector reforms with a focus on access to justice for the most disadvantaged, human rights, and public interest litigation. Andrews holds an LLM in International Criminal Justice & Law of Human Rights, an LLB, and a PGD in legal practice. An avid Human Rights Defender, Andrews enormously contributed to legal reforms in Rwanda, including the establishment of a legal framework on human trafficking and participating in the drafting of the country’s Anti-human trafficking Law and many more pieces of legislation that favor access to justice for the poor and vulnerable in Rwanda.

    Andrews is passionate about research and advocacy and has spearheaded several research works on access to justice in Rwanda and the Region. He is a founding member of the African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice (ACE-AJ) and is currently the head of research in the same centre.
    Andrews is also a member of the Court Mediation Advisory Committee in Rwanda, having been appointed in 2020 by the Honorable Chief Justice of Rwanda.

    Mara Vanderslice Kelly

    Mara Vanderslice Kelly

    Executive Director

    United Way Center to Combat Human Trafficking

    Mara Vanderslice Kelly's Bio

    Mara Vanderslice Kelly is the Executive Director of the United Way Center to Combat Human Trafficking. The Center to Combat Human Trafficking convenes the leading actors in the anti-trafficking field, along with business and civil society partners, to elevate, align and scale the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

    Prior to joining United Way, Ms. Vanderslice Kelly served in President Obama’s Administration for five years. She served as Deputy Director of the White House Office and Senior Policy Advisor to the White House Domestic Policy Council. In these roles, she helped lead the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnership and her office’s work to combat human trafficking.

    Lisa Kristine

    Lisa Kristine

    Researcher

    Photographer, Activist, Speaker

    Lisa Kristine's Bio

    Lisa Kristine is an internationally recognized fine-art photographer, humanitarian, activist, and speaker. For more than 30 years she has documented indigenous cultures and social causes in more than 150 countries across six continents. the current that runs through her work is the belief in the inherent dignity of every living being. Lisa masterfully navigates the emotional landscapes of her subjects and their environments, driving awareness around causes such as human trafficking, indigenous wisdom, and global unity.

    Shawn MacDonald

    Shawn MacDonald

    CEO

    Verité

    Shawn MacDonalds's Bio

    Dr. Shawn MacDonald is CEO of Verité, a civil society organization that promotes workers’ rights in global supply chains through research, consulting, training, assessments, and policy advocacy.  Before his appointment as CEO in 2016, Shawn had led Verité’s research, program, and policy work since 2003.  Shawn has broad international experience in labor rights, social entrepreneurship, workplace health, and multi-sector partnerships. Before joining Verité, he was Director of Accreditation at the Fair Labor Association; Vice President of Ashoka; Senior Advisor at Meridian Group International; and co-founder of the Development and Employment Policy Project. He also worked for a variety of civil society organizations in Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. He holds a Ph.D. from George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and an AB in History from Harvard University.

    Awah Francisca Mbuli

    Awah Francisca Mbuli

    Executive Director

    Survivors’ Network Cameroon

    Awah Francisca Mbuli's Bio

    Awah Francisca Mbuli is a survivor of sex and labor trafficking and almost a victim of organ trafficking. She has a suspended Master’s degree in Human Rights and Multiculturalism from the Buskerud International University, Norway. She is the founder and Executive Director of Survivors’ Network (SN), a Cameroonian-based, female-led NGO leading the fight against all forms of human trafficking in Cameroon and Sub-Saharan African countries. She is an innovative and passionate leader who is fighting to prevent others from experiencing what she has been through.

    Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally. She has two International Visitors Leadership programs awarded by the U.S Department of State in combatting human trafficking. In 2018 she was named a Trafficking in Persons hero for Cameroon, and she still is today. She also received recognition in 2020 for her work on Combatting Trafficking in persons. This recognition was awarded virtually.

    Due to her hard work, she is the 2022 Ashoka fellow from Anglophone West Africa, joining two other women from Nigeria. Her organization, Survivors’ Network, also won the Elkes Impact award for best community-based organization in the fight to combat modern slavery in 2022 at the Global Freedom from Slavery Forum in Morocco, organized by Free The Slaves. She also doubled as their Ambassador for two years.

    Francisca’s innovative programs focus on rescuing survivors, assuring their safe return home and reuniting them with their families. As part of this process sur psychosocial services, economically empowering women who are survivors of human trafficking and various violence as well as internally displaced women and children, in various diverse endeavors ranging from urgent economic empowerment to vocational skills training which doubles with a safe/shelter home. Among other accomplishments, she has helped rescue and reintegrate 65 female victims of human trafficking from the Gulf Corporation States to their respective Sub-Saharan African home countries and her work as at now has touched over 5000 women and girls directly and the masses indirectly.

    She advocates both with governments and the general population to adjust policies governing the anti-human trafficking laws in her country and to push all
    to get on board with this fight as we all know the just published statistic had raised from 40 to 50 million people in modern slavery with the Covid-19 being
    one of the causes of the increase.

    Some of Awah’s awards include:
    – 50 Most Influential Cameroonians
    – Mo Ibrahim Foundation Now Generation Fellow
    – Obama Africa Leader
    – African dream Achievers Award
    – US Trafficking in Persons Hero award
    – Global Freedom Exchange
    – Elkes Impact Award
    – Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Management Committee
    – Ashoka Fellow 2022
    – Vital Voices Visionaries Fellowship 2022
    – World of Difference Award 2022 for Economic Empowerment of Women.

    Sophie Otiende

    Sophie Otiende

    Chief Executive Officer

    Global Fund to End Modern Slavery

    Sophie Otiende's Bio

    Sophie Otiende defines herself as a feminist, a teacher, and a survivor leader. Sophie has worked within the human trafficking field for a number of years, revolutionizing the ways in which survivors are supported, protected, and involved within the counter-trafficking movement. Her work has mainly focused on developing systems and processes for grassroots organizations, advocating for ethical standards for the protection of victims of trafficking, training, and development of curriculum on both protection and awareness of human trafficking. Her advocacy on standards of care and survivor engagement has made her a standout leader in the sector and earned her recognition as the US Trafficking in Persons Report Hero 2020.
    She currently works as the Chief Executive Officer Director of The Global Fund to End Modern Slavery. Previously she worked as the Director of Consulting with Survivor Alliance and is the founder of Azadi Kenya, which is a survivor-led collective based in Nairobi. For more information check: www.sophieotiende.com

    Ambassador John Cotton Richmond

    Ambassador John Cotton Richmond

    Chief Impact Officer

    Atlas Free

    Ambassador John Cotton Richmond's Bio

    Ambassador Richmond is an attorney and diplomat focused on combatting human trafficking, advancing democracy, and affirming human dignity. He was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate, named one of the federal prosecutors of the year, and called “every trafficker’s worst nightmare” by the head of the FBI’s human trafficking program. As Ambassador, he held the United States highest-ranking position dedicated to combating human trafficking.

    As Chief Impact Officer at Atlas Free, Ambassador Richmond helps resource and accelerate organizations that fight human trafficking. Ambassador Richmond is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Senior Advisor to Love Does, founder of the Libertas Council, and a frequent speaker on justice, foreign policy, leadership, and vocation.

    Philippe Sion

    Philippe Sion

    Managing Director

    Humanity United

    Philippe Sion's Bio

    Philippe Sion is a Managing Director at Humanity United, leading the work of the foundation against Forced Labor & Human Trafficking. In this role, Philippe applies more than two decades of experience in social change. Working with the field and alongside HU’s partners and staff, he develops, refines, and implements strategies with an eye toward learning and impact. He focuses his time on a range of issues, from survivor leadership and movement building to corporate accountability and migration.

    Philippe is also a Director on the board of The Freedom Fund.

    Prior to joining HU, Philippe Sion was a Managing Director at FSG, a global consulting firm supporting leaders in creating social change. At FSG, Philippe dedicated a large portion of his time to working with foundations on systems change strategies and collective impact. He managed FSG’s partnerships with several Fortune 500 corporations, advising them on corporate philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and shared value. Philippe also co-led the firm’s working group on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

    Philippe previously worked in social and public sector consulting at both the Bridgespan Group and McKinsey & Company, held a research fellowship at the McKinsey Global Institute, and served as an Associate Director of the World Economic Forum, where he oversaw the economics and finance sessions for the annual meeting in Davos.

    Philippe has lived and worked in Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States. As the son of two refugees, Humanity United’s mission has both professional and personal resonance for him.

    Andrew Wallis

    Andrew Wallis

    Founder and CEO

    Unseen

    Andrew Wallis' Bio

    Andrew Wallis OBE is the founder and CEO of Unseen, a multi-award-winning organization working toward disrupting and challenging modern slavery. He was the chairman of the Working Group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery,” which provided a comprehensive roadmap for government, statutory authorities, and businesses to eradicate slavery in the UK. “It Happens Here” is acknowledged as the catalyst for government action, particularly the UK’s Modern Slavery Act. He was a member of the Evidence Review Team that worked on the Modern Slavery Bill and worked with politicians, businesses, investors, and NGOs to ensure the Transparency in Company Supply Chains clause inclusion in the UK Modern Slavery Act.

    Andrew has a long history working to eradicate modern slavery and is a recognised global subject matter expert. In 2015 he was awarded an OBE for his work that led to the landmark UK Modern Slavery Act. He spends much of his time working and advising businesses from the C-Suite to frontline on how to effectively tackle modern slavery in their supply chains and practices and works with NGOs, academics and many others to deliver effective solutions to a global problem. You can find out more about Unseen and their work with businesses here. He works regularly with media outlets such as BBC News and Radio; Sky News; Al Jazeera, and CNN. He has been called; “the loveliest disruptor you could ever meet.”

    Bukeni Waruzi

    Bukeni Waruzi

    Executive Director

    Free the Slaves

    Bukeni Waruzi's Bio

    Bukeni Waruzi is the Executive Director of Free the Slaves. He has documented human rights abuses, implemented advocacy campaigns, conducted training workshops, and made public presentations in 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, his home country, he formed the grassroots nonprofit group AJEDI-KA/Child Soldiers Project to confront armed militias’ widespread enslavement of children. He videotaped evidence that led to the imprisonment of a notorious warlord. In Kenya, Waruzi served as a program manager for the Porticus Foundation, overseeing human rights, civic engagement, education, and climate change projects. He served as executive director of Watchlist in New York, an organization that protects children in conflict zones. And he has served as a senior program manager in New York for WITNESS, a group that empowers victims worldwide to collect evidence that brings perpetrators to justice. Waruzi has made presentations to the United Nations Security Council, the International Criminal Court, and the Children’s Caucus of the U.S. Congress.

     

    2023 Global Forum Side Event and Workshop Planning Committee Members

    Adrian Alexander

    Adrian Alexander

    Advocacy and Movement Building Country Manager

    Free the Slaves

    Adrian Alexander's Bio

    Adrian Alexander is the Advocacy and Movement Building Country Manager for Free The Slaves based in Trinidad and Tobago. He has been privileged to serve as a volunteer with civil society organizations for the past 20 years. For 14 of those years, he has been involved in the fight against human trafficking. Through this work, Adrian is committed to helping shape a more compassionate, trauma-informed Caribbean.

    Rasha Al Manha

    Rasha Al Manha

    MENA Regional Director

    Free the Slaves

    Rasha Almaha's Bio

    Rasha Al Manha is Free the Slaves’ MENA Regional Manager, representing the organization in the region and providing ongoing technical assistance to FTS’s partner organizations in strategic design and implementation.

    Rasha has worked in a variety of industries for over 20 years, including banking, human resources and training, and project management and development. Rasha has spent the last ten years of her career supporting the strategic direction of large-scale humanitarian programs in Education, Health, Community Engagement, and Governance, as well as Monitoring and Evaluation by managing projects and programs responding to Syrian crises, either inside Jordan or across borders. Throughout her career, she has worked on UNICEF and USAID-funded projects with different national and international NGOs, including Save the Children, Blumont Inc., Abt. Associates Inc., and Jordan River Foundation.

    Rasha has several professional certifications, including Project Management Development (PMD – Pro 1), Certified International Professional Trainer (CIPT), in addition to a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Linguistics.

    Ioana Bauer

    Ioana Bauer

    Chairwoman of the Board

    eLiberare

    Ioana Bauer's Bio
    Ioana Bauer has been active in the area of protecting human rights and dignity since 2005, and since 2010, she has dedicated her efforts to addressing human trafficking. Ioana has led and shaped prevention activities, developed materials on the issue, and conducted capacity-building activities after working directly with survivors of human trafficking. Ioana is an Ashoka Fellow, a 2020 Resilience Fellow, and is recognized as one of the women leaders advancing the UN SDGs globally. Ioana served as a policy adviser in the office of the Prime Minister in the Romanian Government, where she led on topics relating to child safety and preventing and combatting human trafficking. Currently, Ioana serves as chairwoman of the board of eLiberare, a leading Romanian anti-trafficking CSO.
    Kuldeep Singh Chauhan

    Kuldeep Singh Chauhan

    Asia Regional Director

    Free the Slaves

    Kuldeep Singh Chauhan's Bio

    Kuldeep Singh Chauhan is the Regional Director for Asia at Free the Slaves. Kuldeep has fifteen years of practical experience in community development and human rights. He has experience in training and capacity building in private sector supply chains, stakeholder relations, resource mobilization, and coalition building across Asia. As the Regional Director for Asia at Free the Slaves, he represents Free the Slaves in the region; provides ongoing technical assistance to partner organizations in strategic design, implementation, measurement, and reporting; and holds responsibility for the overall management of the regional program, strategy development, business development, and program oversight.

    Evelyn Chumbow

    Evelyn Chumbow

    Board of Directors

    Human Trafficking Legal Center

    Evelyn Chumbow's Bio

    Evelyn Chumbow is a survivor of child labor trafficking turned anti-trafficking activist and public speaker who focuses her life’s work on ending modern-day slavery. Today, Ms. Chumbow works tirelessly to raise awareness in communities to create employment opportunities for trafficking survivors. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Human Trafficking Legal Center and Free the Slaves. She has been invited to brief government agencies about human trafficking from a survivor’s perspective, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the State Department, and the Department of Justice.

    Aline Gaju

    Aline Gaju

    Communications Officer

    Legal Aid Forum Rwanda

    Aline Gaju's Bio

    Aline Gaju is the communications officer at the Legal Aid Forum, since 2022. As Communications Officer, she is in charge of developing and implementing effective communication, visibility, and branding activities and strategies for the organization. Aline also coordinates and manages events such as conferences and workshops. In her role at LAF, Aline has helped to organize the Africa Regional Freedom from Slavery Forum that took place in November 2022, in Kigali.

    Joanna Ewart-James

    Joanna Ewart-James

    Executive Director

    Freedom United

    Johanna Ewart-James's Bio

    Joanna is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Freedom United, a global community against modern slavery powering action for change. Joanna is also a trustee at Labour Behind the Label Trust – campaigning for workers’ rights in the clothing industry. At the end of 2021 she completed her term as Chair of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative UK, during which she received an innovation award for the newly created Commonwealth 8.7 Network on modern slavery. Joanna was previously with Walk Free and Anti-Slavery International, where she developed and directed their work on business engagement, including coordinating the Cotton Campaign in Europe. Joanna is a contributing author to books including Vulnerability, exploitation and migrants: Insecure work in a globalised economy (Palgrave, 2015), and The SAGE Handbook of Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery. (SAGE, 2018). Her international human rights experience spans the UK diplomatic service, academia, and philanthropy, managing multi-million dollar budgets. Joanna holds a Masters in Human Rights from the University of London.

    Leonie  Mutoni

    Leonie Mutoni

    Programs Director

    Legal Aid Forum Rwanda

    Leonie Mutoni's Bio

    Leonie Mutoni is the Programs Manager at the Legal Aid Forum (LAF), a position she has held since 2022. As Programs Manager, she oversees coordination, implementation and reporting of all project activities, programs and initiatives of the organization.  As part of the Management Committee, she assists in developing strategic partnerships and strengthening linkages with donors, government institutions and civil society. She also provides high level technical and administrative support to LAF secretariat.

    Leonie has hands-on experience in organizing events and coordinating with stakeholders, including co-organizing the Africa Regional Freedom From Slavery Forum that took place in November 2022, Kigali.

    Leonie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Media and Communication, with a concentration in Public Relations

    Jodom Mwebi

    Jodom Mwebi

    East and Central Africa Coordinator

    Free the Slaves

    Jodom Mwebi's Bio

    Jodom has years of work and experience in Access to Justice, Human Rights and Governance. He has worked for programs and projects for Forced Migration, Transitional Justice, Land, Labor, Housing, Leadership, and Basic Education at Non-Governmental Organizations.

    Jodom has ensured refugees, asylum seekers, victims of human trafficking, and internally displaced persons have access to and enjoy their rights in accordance with international humanitarian law, human rights law, and national laws. He has offered legal aid and advice on labor, land, and housing and facilitated out-of-court settlements. He has also advocated and lobbied for policies and legislations favorable to vulnerable persons, and empowered communities and persons to be monitors and champions of their human rights and legal entitlements.

    Jodom aims to be objective, effective, and to achieve change in his work by employing participatory and people-driven methods, supporting initiatives for peace building and conflict transformation, advocating for constitutionalism and accountability, and promoting trauma sensitivity and self-care.

    Dr. Njeri Kagotho

    Dr. Njeri Kagotho

    Associate Professor

    Ohio State University

    Dr. Njeri Kagotho's Bio

    Dr. Njeri Kagotho is a social worker and an associate professor in the College of Social Work, Ohio State University. Njeri identifies as an educator-activist. Informed by critical pedagogy her teaching engages with the central tenets of social justice to amplify social work education and prepare students for radical social change. Dr. Kagotho’s scholarship examines the institutional factors linked to the wellbeing of at-risk and low-income individuals. Her contribution to this body of literature pays close attention to marginalized groups including immigrants and survivors of human trafficking. Specifically, Njeri examines how the intersection of informal institutions (religion, culture, and social norms), and formal institutions (laws, policies, and regulations) inform behavior. When these institutions intersect, the resulting environment creates complex and challenging conditions for marginalized groups already grappling with socio-political and economic inequalities.

    Dr. Sharvari Karandikar

    Dr. Sharvari Karandikar

    Associate Professor

    Ohio State University

    Dr. Sharvari Karandikar's Bio

    Dr. Sharvari Karandikar is an Associate Professor at the Ohio State University College of Social Work. Dr. Karandikar’s community-engaged work promotes the well-being of minoritized and marginalized women living on fringes of the society. To attain this goal, Dr. Karandikar has focused on understanding the lived experiences and expressions of resilience and agency among sex workers, victims, survivors of sex trafficking, surrogate mothers, and egg donors. Her academic journey is ingrained in her social work practice experience in the red-light area of Kamathipura (one of Asia’s largest and most diverse red-light areas) in Mumbai, India.

    As a social work researcher, Dr. Karandikar collaborates with community partners and researchers across universities, disciplines, nationalities, and backgrounds. She has published 42 peer-reviewed manuscripts, co-authored one edited book on globalization and gender oppression, and delivered 57 peer-reviewed and 11 invited conference presentations, many of them internationally. The total grant funding she has received for her various studies is $902,355. Dr. Karandikar was recognized with the OSU College of Social Work’s Tony Tripodi Research Excellence award in 2017. In June 2022, she was awarded the Fulbright Specialist designation by a peer-reviewed panel of experts from the U.S. Department of State.

    As a social work educator, Dr. Karandikar has designed and taught courses at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. Specifically, at OSU, she has taught courses on qualitative research methods, human trafficking, international social work, adolescent sexuality and parenthood, and introduction to social work. In May 2022, she received the Excellence in Teaching award at the doctoral level from the OSU College of Social Work. As an educator, Dr. Karandikar has mentored and supervised student research, for which she was recognized in 2020 with the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award from the OSU Office of Student Life. Additionally, in 2019 and 2015. she was nationally honored and recognized as a feminist mentor by the Council on Social Work Education: Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education.

    ORCID: 0000-0002-4010-618X
    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jImeM2UAAAAJ&hl=en
    Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sharvari-Karandikar-3

    Diep Vuong

    Diep Vuong

    President

    Pacific Links Foundation

    Diep Vuong's Bio

    Diep is a seasoned senior executive with multi-sector experience (nonprofit, technology, international) in supply chain solutions, strategic CSR partnerships, and organizational development. She co-founded and serves as President of Pacific Links Foundation, an international nonprofit with large-scale empowerment programs in schools, factories, and communities. Diep has created CSR partnerships with multinational corporations and designed comprehensive solutions and innovative tools to combat human trafficking and forced labor in the supply chain. She launched virtual learning and tutoring platforms, empowering thousands of young women to be knowledge workers and enter IT fields. Diep is as a graduate of Harvard University and San Jose State University; she also pursued her Economics PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Diep came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam.

    Melissa Yao

    Melissa Yao

    Executive Director

    National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance

    Melissa Yao's Bio

    Melissa is the Executive Director of the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance. Melissa has her master’s degree in International Development from Eastern University and has worked in the anti-trafficking field for over ten years at both the local and national level. For nearly eight years, Melissa worked in a direct service role at a long-term restoration home for survivors, where she noticed firsthand how service providers often felt siloed in their work. It was through this experience that Melissa realized the importance of building bridges and cultivating collaboration- forming a national community led by the belief that we rise by lifting others. As the Executive Director of NTSA, Melissa has had the opportunity to see the diversity of programs supporting survivors across the US and share with the service providers on the ground about the needs, challenges, and wins they experience for survivors in their programs. Before joining the anti-trafficking field, Melissa worked in advocacy and policy, supporting issues related to hunger and poverty.

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