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An estimated 45.8 million people are in slavery worldwide.

WE ARE A MODERN ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT

In every country around the world, people are exploited against their willcontrolled by threats, debt, and violence. We call it by many names, but it amounts to the same thing: modern slavery. Slavery is illegal everywhere, but it continues to thrive because so many of us:
Don’t understand it • Don’t want to think about it • Don’t know how to change it
That’s where we come in. By joining Freedom United, you become part of the solution. We’ve proven time and time again: the collective voice can make a difference. So get started – and welcome to the movement!

WINS AND POLICY CHANGES

Inaugural For Freedom Awards

During January, Human Trafficking Prevention month, we launched Freedom United's inaugural For Freedom Awards to highlight and recognize exceptional work within the Freedom United community.
2022 was a difficult year but despite this, activists on the frontline against modern slavery worked tirelessly to campaign for change. We’re so proud of everything the anti-modern slavery community achieved in a challenging human rights landscape. 
Discover all our award winners here!
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California's Governor Newsom waits until last moment to veto bill to protect migrant workers

Despite our best efforts, on September 27, 2022 Governor Newsom vetoed AB364, a bill to protect temporary migrant workers from exploitative work conditions by unscrupulous foreign labor contractors. Governor Newsom waited until his time had almost run out to veto AB364. That’s because we made an impact with our two years of advocacy. Thank you to the Freedom United community for signing the petition, for emailing and calling the Governor’s office and tweeting at the Governor to make your voice heard. We will continue to advocate for the protection of all temporary migrant workers from exploitation and forced labor. Read our full field report here.
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Global pressure builds on FIFA to remedy exploited migrant workers

Global pressure is building on FIFA to remedy exploited migrant workers tasked with bringing us the 2022 World Cup.

In November, ten European Football Associations responded to FIFA saying that human rights are universal and must be applied everywhere.

Our partners Be Slavery Free presented 5,700+ Freedom United signatures to the Australian Senate and Senator Thorpe referenced the action calling on Football Associations to pressure FIFA in her Senate speech which you can listen to here!

Thank you to the thousands of Freedom United supporters who kept this issue in the public eye during the World Cup. Now, let's keep demanding justice for migrant workers.

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University of Florida cuts ties with Aramark

SUCCESS! We wrote to the President of the University of Florida last year asking him to terminate and not renew its partnership with Aramark as part of our campaign for divestment from prison slavery, and he listened! Effective July 1, the University of Florida ends its contract with exploitative food services company Aramark. Read our letter here. Aramark has been repeatedly criticized for relying on prison labor, as well as documented links to forced labor in prisons. Current and former pre-trial and immigration detainees at Santa Rita Jail in California filed a class action against Aramark alleging forced labor. In addition to its connection to prison labor, Aramark—which has contracts with hundreds of educational institutions across the U.S.—has been frequently sued for a variety of labor abuses, including workplace safety violations and sub-minimum wages. 22,000+ in the Freedom United community helped pressure the University of Florida to divest from prison slavery.
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Invest in The Movement

Your sustainable gift is the best way to support the work of raising awareness, assisting nonprofitsaround the world, and achieving the vision of a world without slavery.

Join the Movement

Stand together with survivors, activists, advocates and supporters determined to end slavery. Learnwhat you can do to make a difference, and make the impact we want to see in the world.