How “fair trade” labels help corporations hide exploitation
By Ellie Finkelstein, Freedom United January 21, 2024 News Digest OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS Forced laborHow “fair trade” labels help corporations hide exploitation in MexicoIn the idyllic aisles of U.S. supermarkets, labels like “responsibly grown, ” “farmworker-assured,” and “fair-trade…
What makes a great activist?
By Joanna Ewart-James, Freedom United It’s that time of year again! It’s Human Trafficking Prevention Month and we’re kicking off the second annual For Freedom Awards. 2023 was a challenging year but that didn’t stop activists on the frontline working tirelessly campaigning for change. …
Why auditing firms are failing children
By Ellie Finkelstein, Freedom United January 7, 2024 News Digest OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS Child slaveryPrivate auditing firms have a common blind spot: child laborIn recent years, major U.S. corporations have assured ethical labor practices within their supply chains…
A not so merry update from Freedom United
From Krysta Bisnauth, Freedom United We’re winding down 2023 but forced labor doesn’t stop for the holidays. Although our updates aren’t full of cheer, we hope by sharing the news you may find renewed inspiration to avoid the inevitable holiday traps of Uyghur…
New Action: All children must be protected
From Ellie Finkelstein, Freedom United “Protect the children” is a popular rallying cry across many states in the U.S. If only that were true. The Department of Labor recorded that violations of child labor laws in the U.S. rose by 37% in the…
Learn why people with disabilities face greater trafficking risk
From Joanna Ewart-James, Freedom United People with disabilities are more likely to experience human traffickingthan their peers. Why is their risk greater and why are they not being adequately protected? This new mini podcast series explores research into the intersection between trafficking…
Open letter to Freedom United calling for a rethink on its position on the sex trade
From Nordic Mosel Now! On 3 February 2021, Freedom United, a big anti-trafficking organisation that works globally, held a webinar entitled ‘Taking the trafficking out of sex work’ that promoted the full decriminalisation of the sex trade, including pimps and…
What does ‘modern slavery’ really mean?
From Miriam Karmali, Freedom United What does ‘modern slavery’ mean to you? When we asked the diverse Freedom United global community to share perspectives on the complexity of language when it comes to describing severe exploitation, the results were fascinating. From Yoruba to Serbian, perceptions of…
Detained migrant worker abandoned by FIFA & ILO
From Miriam Karmali, Freedom United June 25, 2023 News Digest OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS Debt bondageFIFA & ILO silence over case of detained migrant workerShakir Ullah, a migrant worker from Pakistan who requested unpaid wages on behalf of hundred of his…
Bill introduced to end legal slavery in U.S.
From Miriam Karmali, Freedom United June 18, 2023 News Digest OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS Prison slaveryFreedom United welcomes bill to end legal slavery in U.S.This week, Congressmember Nikema Williams and Senators Jeff Merkley and Cory Booker reintroduced the Abolition Amendment…
