'The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members,' reads the famous Gandhi quote. Human trafficking - the illegal movement of a person into or through a country by force, threat or deception to exploit them - can affect anyone of any age, gender or nationality.
Survivors of human trafficking go on to live fulfilled, safe lives, often with the support of individuals, communities and groups like ECPAT, a worldwide network of organizations working to support survivors and law enforcement, influence governments and provide training; of which CWT is a member.
Now is the best time to act
The pandemic has pushed as many as 124 million more people into extreme poverty, leaving millions vulnerable to sexual exploitation, forced labour and other forms of abuse.
This year’s theme for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons highlights the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking. Survivors play a crucial role in establishing measures to prevent, identify and rehabilitate.
Many trafficked people have experienced ignorance or misunderstanding in their attempts to get help, and have faced revictimization and punishment for crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers.
One person at the forefront of a survivor-centred approach to combating human trafficking is Yvonne Chen, Director of Private Sector Engagement at ECPAT USA. In the latest episode of CWT’s Business Travel On the Fly podcast, we learn:
- Why survivors and those with lived experience hold the key to crafting legislation and policy.
- Essential advice for business travelers & companies.
- From working on refugee rights in Cape Town and California to running safehouses in New York – How meeting survivors has inspired a global mission.
With millions more vulnerable around the world, each and every business traveler and employer can help prevent cases, empower survivors and identify those vulnerable to trafficking at airports, on planes and in our communities. Let it be the measure of us.
Listen to the podcast: How to change someone’s life on a flight
