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FNUSA Submits Comments to the United Nations
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Last month, Freedom Network USA submitted input to the UN Special Rapporteur, Mr. Tom Obokata, on contemporary forms of slavery for an upcoming report about workers' organizations' role in preventing human trafficking. In the US, unions offer protections to workers that make them less likely to end up in exploitative situations. US labor laws make it difficult for workers to organize, but when they are successful, they play a crucial role in preventing trafficking and labor exploitation across industries.
FNUSA members provided their extensive expertise in workers' rights movements and trafficking prevention to inform our comments.
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Congratulations, Maria Jose Fletcher and Youth Collaboratory!
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At this year's annual conference, we recognized the work of the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Award recipient, Maria Jose Fletcher, and the Pembrook Award for Survivor Inclusion recipient, Youth Collaboratory! This celebratory event was an opportunity to acknowledge some incredible advocates in our movement.
Maria Jose's decades of work has led to amazing systemic change in the anti-trafficking movement. A former member of Freedom Network USA, she tirelessly served hundreds of survivors across the country while at VIDA Legal Assistance. Now at the Battered Women's Justice Project, Maria Jose continues to impact the lives of those around her.
Youth Collaboratory's efforts to serve young survivors, while lifting up their autonomy, has made a tremendous difference. A leader in the field, Youth Collaboratory's work focuses heavily on authentic collaboration. They provide resources and tools to community-based providers in order to combat trauma and support human trafficking survivors.
Join us in congratulating Youth Collaboratory and Maria Jose on their incredible achievements!
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Meet Our New Project Manager!
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Rachel Ostergaard is our new Sr. Housing Training and Technical Assistance Project Manager. She has a 20-year history of providing direct services, including housing support, to survivors of trafficking. Most notably, Rachel supported a partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority to designate housing vouchers for trafficking survivors in the Chicago area. We are excited to welcome Rachel to the team.
Fun fact about Rachel: she once walked 500 miles across Northern Spain!
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Human trafficking survivors are often convicted of the various crimes that their traffickers force them to commit during their trafficking experience.
The resulting criminal records present ongoing barriers to independence and healing, as survivors struggle to obtain employment and free themselves from the stigma and embarrassment of a criminal record.
Our Survivor Reentry Project pairs survivors with pro-bono attorneys who review their cases and help them find avenues to clear their records.
As of April 2024, there are 160 survivors who are working with SRP. From these survivors, SRP is overseeing 232 cases that include a total of 1,338 charges related to trafficking experiences.
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Upcoming Training:
Introduction to Regulatory and Administrative Advocacy in Anti-Trafficking
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The Freedom Network Training Institute (FNTI) is hosting a webinar, Introduction to Regulatory and Administrative Advocacy in Anti-Trafficking, on May 23, 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET.
This webinar will provide an introduction to policy advocacy for anyone looking to expand or start advocacy work. This session will introduce the three types of advocacy, legislative, administrative, and regulatory.
Attendees will learn the basics of the regulatory process, how to provide public comment, and ways to engage administrative staff in order to promote effective policies. The session will explore examples of successful efforts to change regulations and influence administrative policies.
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Title: Introduction to Regulatory and Administrative Advocacy in Anti-Trafficking
Host: Emma Ecker, Senior Policy Specialist, FNUSA
Date: May 23, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM EST
Cost: $50
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Help build something bigger than yourself.
Every person who supports FNUSA and the survivors we serve is helping to build a transformative approach to human trafficking. We're so grateful for your support!
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