Gender & Children

Most modern slavery victims are women and girls. About 25 percent are children. Gender-based discrimination and violence, and educational limitations, make women and children especially vulnerable. We work to reduce the risks of slavery by promoting gender equality and respect for child rights.

Gender Vulnerability

In one word, that’s the cause of human trafficking and modern slavery: vulnerability. Women and girls are especially vulnerable, which is why they comprise 71 percent of modern slavery victims worldwide. Free the Slaves works strategically at the community level to educate residents about gender rights and empower women and girls to exercise those rights to reduce the risk of  enslavement.

Safeguarding Children

Children are especially vulnerable. When a parent dies, or a financial shock hits, traffickers strike. They typically offer “temporary” work, usually far from home, so a child can earn money to support their family. Parents are told it will be good for their child: the job will teach valuable skills and instill a strong work ethic. But once the child leaves the realtive safety of their home community, the brutality of child slavery becomes clear. They are malnourished, mistreated and prevented from communicating with relatives.

Free the Slaves works strategically at the community level to educate residents about gender rights and empower women and girls to exercise those rights to reduce the risk of  enslavement.

Our field programs include:

  • Creation of community vigilance committees to build slavery resistance, often comprised and led by women
  • Education on the rights of women under international and local laws
  • Vocational and microenterprise skills training to reduce vulnerability and ensure sustainable freeedom for slavery survivors
  • Establishment of savings and loan associations at village and neighborhood levels, often run by women, so individuals can borrow from each other instead of slaveholders during times of crisis
  • Transitional schooling for girls coming out of slavery so they can re-enter public schools at at age-appropriate level

Success Stories

See case studies of women and children successfully coming out of slavery in our gallery of survivor-activist success stories here.