Ahead of World Day Against Trafficking, three more people were arrested in connection to a child sex trafficking ring in Alabama. In response, our Executive Director reflects on the lessons needed to strengthen protection from exploitation. ow.ly/LTEw50WvjC3

The US Court of Appeals has dismissed a proposed class action by eight Malian plaintiffs against chocolate giants, including Nestlé. The plaintiffs say they were trafficked as children and forced to work on cocoa farms. ow.ly/9ENB50Wvrkq

Indonesian police intercepted six babies about to be trafficked to Singapore. Traffickers targeted vulnerable pregnant women, posing as maternity clinics, orphanages, or shelters and offering false promises of care. ow.ly/urR050Wvrtj

The EU and US have put in place bans and strong laws to prevent goods made using forced labor from entering their markets. Yet, a new report reveals the UK currently has no “enforceable legislation” to prevent forced labor goods from entering the country. ow.ly/KtBm50Wvs34

In our new Speak Free, Dr. Minh Dang (Survivor Alliance) and Lena Sinha (The Life Story Initiative) call for a bold shift: survivor leadership must move from the margins to the center. Read the full blog here: ow.ly/vtQT50WvsuM

From 1974–1986, Volkswagen ran a ranch in Brazil’s Amazon where workers were subjected to forced labor, violence, and slavery-like conditions. Decades later, a court may hold the company accountable—thanks to one priest who never stopped seeking justice. freedomunited.org/news/trafficki…

Whistleblower Itrat Anwar exposes the brutal reality behind Bangladesh’s garment industry, where poverty wages, hazardous conditions, and modern slavery fuel fast fashion profits. Despite promises of reform after Rana Plaza, Anwar says little has changed. freedomunited.org/news/staggerin…

A CEO who exploited undocumented workers now profits from building migrant detention centers. Critics call out the hypocrisy and warn that expanding detention only deepens abuse, commodifying migrant vulnerability for corporate and political gain. freedomunited.org/news/corrupt-c…

A devastating fire destroyed the only long-term, survivor-led residential program in Canada designed specifically to support trafficking survivors. The loss sharply highlights Canada’s severe shortage of such resources. And the urgent need for more. freedomunited.org/news/canadas-h…

UK introduced a series of hostile immigration policies, sparking outrage among migrant-led groups. Critics warn these reforms, disguised as efforts to combat exploitation, send a clear message that the system values migrant labor, but not migrant lives. freedomunited.org/news/uk-hostil…

After years of forced labor, Indonesian fishermen sued Bumble Bee, accusing it of complicity in their abuse. Months later, the company sought dismissal. The fishermen now argue their modern slavery claims deserve to be heard in court. freedomunited.org/news/bumble-be…

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People & human trafficking share some of the same root causes—colonial violence, systemic racism, and policy failures. On #IndigenousPeoplesDay, we must back Indigenous-led solutions that bring justice, dignity, and change. ow.ly/au1h50WCchT

An Australian Uyghur group sued Kmart, alleging its products are linked to Uyghur forced labor. With no national ban on goods from the Uyghur Region, Australia leaves it to retailers to ensure their supply chains are slavery-free. freedomunited.org/news/australia…

Migrant workers’ heroic rescue during Singapore’s sinkhole incident sparked praise but also highlighted their systemic vulnerability to exploitation—low wages, unsafe conditions, social isolation, and lack of government protection. freedomunited.org/news/migrant-w…

The number of potential trafficking victims in the UK has reached an all-time high—with long delays, poor decision-making, and lack of trust in the government’s protection framework, survivors are left in limbo, some for years. freedomunited.org/news/record-nu…

Russia’s war on Ukraine has fueled labor shortages prompting the transfer of thousands of North Koreans to Russia. Escapees report they endure slave-like conditions, generating income for the regime—adding to the war’s human toll beyond Ukraine and Russia. freedomunited.org/news/north-kor…

At 15, Roshni Perween was forced to marry a man three times her age. Overcoming sexual violence and stigma, she now works to end child marriage, becoming a nationally recognized change-maker. freedomunited.org/news/child-mar…

Nepal’s ban on women migrating for domestic work forces thousands into irregular routes, leaving them vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and even death abroad. When these women die, their families are left with debt and no justice. freedomunited.org/news/nepal-mig…

Unpaid, unconvicted, and forced to work—pre-trial detainees in California are allegedly being made to work for free. A lawsuit in California exposes a growing system of exploitation in US jails. freedomunited.org/news/detainees…

The IOM is backing a new campaign by Mission 89 to stop child trafficking in sport. Mission 89 campaigns against the exploitation of young athletes, exposing how traffickers use the dream of stardom to deceive and abuse children. freedomunited.org/news/protectin…