Expanding the Frontlines of Freedom
Today there is growing awareness of the global crisis of human trafficking. According to the International Labor Organization, there are over 40 million people trafficked, caught in what is also known as modern slavery (1). What you may not be aware of is the critical role job creation, and therefore business, plays in the solution.
Freedom Business Alliance is a global network of over one hundred businesses operating in more than twenty eight countries, all with the common mission to create life-giving jobs for survivors of human trafficking. Many of these businesses were started by people working with faith-based rescue and restoration organizations who became aware of a tragic dynamic: Over 80% of those rescued are re-trafficked absent alternative employment opportunities (2).
The world is just now catching on to what these intrepid entrepreneurs experienced first-hand: ending human trafficking is not just a matter of securing the physical freedom of survivors. Steve Webster, former COO of International Justice Mission explains, “One of the things that we are really focused on as part of our holistic model is sustained restoration. Aside from our normal two year aftercare program that looks at physical needs and trauma-focused care, economic empowerment is absolutely crucial.”
Economic empowerment is crucial because human trafficking often has economic roots, with lack of education and extreme poverty creating vulnerability that allows traffickers to prey on those desperate enough to fall victim to their ploys. This vulnerability does not go away after rescue, but is actually made worse by the trauma and stigma often carried by survivors.
Faith-driven investor in Freedom Business, Don Simmons explains, “Human trafficking will remain unsolved until business leaders rise up to help. The Freedom Business movement faces many barriers to growth. They need the help of partners like us. We can offer expertise and financial support. Only together can we eliminate the blight of human trafficking, and replace it with transformational business as a force for good.”
To help overcome these barriers to growth, FBA is now embarking on two research projects aimed at uncovering best practices in Freedom Business. We are designing a Freedom Business Accelerator to assist in implementing these findings across our member businesses. As part of this accelerator we will assist in matching entrepreneurs with investors willing to bring their time, treasure and talent to bear on this global crisis in order to expand the frontlines of freedom around the world. Will you join us in the fight? To become a partner, reach out through our website. You will be connected with a growing community of businesses putting an end to human trafficking for good.
(1) International Labor Office. “Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage Executive Summary 2016.” Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575540.pdf
(2) Surgenor, Tim, et al. "Jobs to Restore the Lives of Slavery Survivors and Prevent Re-Trafficking." Thomas Reuters Foundation, 2016. Available at: http://www.trustconference.com/actions/i/?id=0598c1c2-c724-410d-a5e0-ac60fa9d7b8c
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