The recent freeze on USAID foreign assistance is a massive blow to organizations fighting human trafficking and forced labor around the world reports CBS News, and a huge gift to traffickers and criminals. The immediate cessation of aid programs around the world coupled with huge staff layoffs means programs providing vital support for survivors and exposing traffickers is down to a trickle. And sadly in some cases, completely dried up.  

Global stability on the line 

Groups all over the world are supported in part or in whole by USAID. The funds help them carry out a range of humanitarian projects and activities. This work includes programs fighting modern slavery as well as work in hospitals or health clinics, programs advancing democracy, and entrepreneurship or conservation projects. The funding structure is burdensome and isn’t free from criticism. However, thousands of advocates and workers around the world depended on it. Vitally, thousands more depended on the humanitarian work those programs provided.  

Freedom Collaborative CEO Julia Macher stated: 

“(The funding) helps with global stability…it helps reduce organized crime. And if there is no response or watching these crime groups, they can start expanding, and that is very scary because then it’s a ripple effect. It’s not just about the humanitarian aspect.” 

Freedom Collaborative is a global network of about 3,000 advocates against trafficking. They received a stop-work order last week that cut 80% of their budget. The cuts also hit an organization in the Balkans providing direct services to survivors. A shelter for survivors in Thailand can no longer pay for basic needs like food, medical care and transportation. And in Cambodia, a survivor support program is on hold. Tragically, those represent just a fraction of the humanitarian programs and lives affected.  

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