Free the Slaves

Climate change is often framed as an environmental or economic crisis. But there is a dimension that rarely makes it into the conversation: how environmental disruption can push people into situations of trafficking, forced labor, and exploitation.

In the latest episode of Conversations on Modern Slavery, our team explores that connection through the lens of Antigua and Barbuda, a small island developing state that sits on the front lines of climate change and its consequences.

We are joined by Marver Woodley, Senior Operations and Policy Manager in Antigua and Barbuda's Department of Blue Economy, bringing local knowledge and lived reality to a global conversation, Dr. Bethany Jackson (University of Nottingham), whose research maps climate hazards to exploitation risk across regions, and Dr. Marta Furlan, Senior Program Manager for Research at Free the Slaves who conducted the research.

Our research identified six interconnected pathways through which climate change deepens vulnerability: loss of livelihood, health impacts, housing insecurity, forced mobility, disrupted education, and food and water insecurity. These do not operate in isolation. They create a cycle of vulnerability, and that cycle demands a people-centered response.

🎙️ Listen now to learn more → https://links.freetheslaves.net/Podcast

Free the Slaves (FTS) and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) recently published a research report on a case study conducted of Antigua and Barbuda since the devastation of Hurricane Irma in 2017. The report is titled "From Climate Crisis to Human Exploitation: Examining Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability in Small Island Developing States - Focus on Antigua & Barbuda".

Dr Cherisse Francis and Adrian Alexander co-hosted an episode of Caribbean Connections to interview Drs Marta Furlan (FTS) and Sneh Aurora (CHRI) about the report, its intended audience, and key findings.

Listen to the podcast here -

Caribbean Connections - Episode 7 (From Climate Crisis to Human Exploitation) CCATIP's Dr. Cherisse Francis and Adrian Alexander speak with Drs. Sneh Aurora (from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative) and Marta Furlan (from Free th...

Sustainable change happens when communities lead.

Free the Slaves, in collaboration with MSEMVS, recently trained partner organizations in India and Nepal on the Community Maturity Toolkit, a participatory approach that helps communities assess their own progress, identify risks, and build locally owned solutions to prevent trafficking and modern slavery.

The toolkit focuses on more than measurement. It supports communities in moving from early stages of awareness to becoming well-established, where they can sustain community prevention and protection efforts independently. Through practical exercises and real-world scenarios, participants explored how to facilitate inclusive discussions, build consensus, and turn community insights into action.

This approach is about shifting ownership. When communities have the tools to understand their own vulnerabilities and strengths, they are better equipped to respond, adapt, and protect themselves over the long term.

It also creates a pathway for scale. As communities reach maturity, support can shift to more vulnerable areas, expanding impact without creating dependency.

Read the blog to learn how community-led approaches are strengthening the fight against modern slavery:
https://freetheslaves.net/empowering-partners-through-community-maturity-toolkit-training/