The Global Fund to End Modern Slavery is a movement builder, advocate, grantmaker, and survivor-led organization working to strengthen lived experience leadership at all levels of the fight against modern slavery. Our vision is a world of dignity, built by movements that center those with lived experience. We understand that there is enormous potential for change when all efforts–from grassroots implementation to international lawmaking–are guided by those with lived experience.

We exist to build a global anti-trafficking movement informed by, led by, and created for people with lived experience.

At the Global Fund, we are committed to creating an environment where survivor-leaders and grassroots organizations can thrive. We do so by supporting Movement Building and Advocacy efforts led by those most proximate to the issue.

Advocacy

We fund local advocates and activists focusing on local, regional, or global advocacy to elevate the issue and increase resources for the sector.

Survivor-centric environment

We work with partners to develop survivor-informed practices, narratives, and approaches and provide funding for survivor-led orgs.

Movement building

We provide flexible funding & capacity strengthening to grassroots anti-trafficking orgs to ultimately help build the foundation for a movement.

Our Story

The Launch

In 2016, a group of anti-slavery leaders, experts, and activists convened to discuss the key challenges facing the field. They agreed that worldwide efforts were under-resourced to sustainably eradicate modern slavery. Together, they conceived of an international fund to advance the global fight by raising new resources, bringing together partners across government, civil society, and the private sector; and investing in bold programs, innovative tools, and data. From this, the vision of GFEMS was born.

With funding from the US State Department, the UK, Norway, Liechtenstein, and private donors, GFEMS implemented 40 projects across India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the Philippines, Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, Malaysia, and more. We also invested substantially in field building–innovative research, distillation of best practices, convenings, and more. We reached over 105,000 people, conducted over 50 research studies, and developed numerous best-in-class tools. Most importantly, we supported over 60 partners across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, helping them grow and deepen their impact.

Embarking on a New Journey

Even with substantial investment in anti-trafficking programming–both through GFEMS and through our incredible peer organizations–the estimates of people in modern slavery have increased from 40 million to 50 million. Simultaneously, the issue has slipped off the global agenda, displaced by some of the issues that have exacerbated it–COVID, conflict, and climate change. But through this period, we learned a number of lessons about the work. Most importantly–the Field doesn’t need another central planner, but instead it needs the grassroots and lived-experience led organizations, which run the most effective initiatives despite chronic resource challenges, to receive the flexible support they need to grow.

In 2023, we updated our approach to address these realities, recognizing the power imbalances, to ensure survivor-centered approaches and flexible funding. We believe that to address human trafficking we need a strong and vibrant movement led by those most proximate to the issue.

To address modern slavery we must create an environment where survivor-leaders and grassroots organizations can thrive.