Free the Slaves

Free the Slaves (FTS) is an international nongovernmental organization and advocacy group focused on ending modern slavery. Its work addresses slavery and severe exploitation as contemporary human-rights problems rather than treating abolition as an issue confined to the nineteenth century. The organization combines public campaigning and lobbying with field programs intended to help affected communities identify, resist, and overcome systems of forced labor, trafficking, debt bondage, and related forms of exploitation. FTS emerged from research associated with sociologist Kevin Bales and his book Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy. It was initially established as a sister organization to Anti-Slavery International, but it later became a separate organization and is not presently part of that body. The organization’s public identity has therefore been shaped both by the modern-slavery research that informed its creation and by an operational emphasis on practical community-level emancipation. Its international programs have focused on countries selected because of the prevalence or risk of slavery. The countries identified in reference material are India, Nepal, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Senegal, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil, alongside its United States-based advocacy and fundraising activity. Rather than offering consumer products, FTS provides mission-driven services and programs: community engagement, anti-slavery advocacy, awareness work, support for local efforts, and recognition of people and organizations contributing to abolition. One visible initiative is the Freedom Awards, which honor individuals and organizations working to end slavery. Recipients mentioned in reference material include Veeru Kohli in 2009 and Timea Nagy in 2012. The awards extend the organization’s work beyond direct programming by giving public visibility to survivors, campaigners, and institutions engaged in anti-slavery efforts. FTS has also built a public-support network involving musicians, actors, and other public figures. Jason Mraz and Esperanza Spalding are among the named supporters. Spalding performed a benefit concert for the organization in December 2012 with Bobby McFerrin, Gretchen Parlato, and a special appearance by Paul Simon, and also raised funds during a summer tour. Other supporters cited in reference material include Carla Gugino, Vincent Kartheiser, Camilla Belle, Forest Whitaker, Demi Moore, and Ashton Kutcher. The organization has also faced public criticism over claims associated with Bales’s discussion of slavery and child labor in the chocolate industry. Investigative journalist Christian Parenti challenged statements about the extent to which the chocolate industry had been reformed and criticized FTS’s position when the U.S. Department of Labor considered listing cocoa as a product associated with slave and child labor. These criticisms form part of the public debate surrounding the organization’s research, advocacy claims, and relationships with industries implicated in forced labor. The available reference material does not establish a formal legal finding against FTS. FTS is best understood as an advocacy and humanitarian organization rather than a commercial brand. Its activities span international programming, public education, coalition building, fundraising, lobbying, research-informed campaigning, and recognition of anti-slavery leadership.

Free the Slaves was created as an international organization campaigning against modern slavery. Its formation followed research by Kevin Bales, whose book Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy helped frame slavery as a continuing feature of the global economy rather than solely a historical institution. The organization was initially established as a sister body to Anti-Slavery International. Although the two organizations shared an anti-slavery orientation, FTS subsequently became independent and has no continuing organizational relationship with Anti-Slavery International according to the available reference material. The organization’s model combines international field activity with advocacy and public communication. Its programs have operated in India, Nepal, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Senegal, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil. These locations were selected in response to the prevalence of slavery and related exploitation. The available material does not provide sufficient detail to reconstruct the start dates, budgets, staffing, or precise outcomes of each country program, but it identifies a geographic strategy centered on communities facing serious risks of forced labor and trafficking. FTS’s work includes efforts to support communities affected by slavery, promote public understanding of contemporary exploitation, and influence governments, institutions, and businesses. The organization also uses recognition and fundraising to broaden the anti-slavery movement. Its Freedom Awards have honored people and organizations involved in abolition, including Veeru Kohli in 2009 and Timea Nagy in 2012. Public engagement has been an important part of the organization’s profile. FTS has worked with musicians and public figures to attract attention and financial support. Jason Mraz and Esperanza Spalding are identified as supporters. Spalding’s December 2012 benefit concert, which included Bobby McFerrin, Gretchen Parlato, and a special appearance by Paul Simon, represented a prominent example of celebrity-supported fundraising. Other named supporters include Carla Gugino, Vincent Kartheiser, Camilla Belle, Forest Whitaker, Demi Moore, and Ashton Kutcher. FTS has also been subject to criticism concerning its public claims about labor conditions in the chocolate industry. Christian Parenti disputed Kevin Bales’s characterization of the extent to which the industry had addressed child labor and slavery in West Africa. Parenti further criticized FTS’s defense of the chocolate industry during a period when the U.S. Department of Labor considered identifying cocoa as a product tainted by slave and child labor. The available source presents this as an argumentative and reputational controversy, not as a documented legal judgment against the organization. The source material does not establish a founding year, headquarters address, current leadership, legal structure, financial information, or present program scale. Accordingly, those details remain unfilled rather than inferred.

• 2012

  Timea Nagy receives a Freedom Award

  [1]Free the Slavesen.wikipedia.org

  Timea Nagy was identified as a recipient of a 2012 Freedom Award.

• 2012

  Benefit concert led by Esperanza Spalding

  [1]Free the Slavesen.wikipedia.org

  Esperanza Spalding performed a benefit concert for FTS in December, joined by Bobby McFerrin and Gretchen Parlato, with a special appearance by Paul Simon.

• 2009

  Veeru Kohli receives a Freedom Award

  [1]Free the Slavesen.wikipedia.org

  Veeru Kohli was among the people recognized through the organization’s Freedom Awards for work connected with ending slavery.

• Organization established from modern-slavery research

  [1]Free the Slavesen.wikipedia.org

  Free the Slaves was formed following research associated with Kevin Bales and Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy. It began as a sister organization to Anti-Slavery International before becoming independent.

A research-informed international abolitionist organization combining community action, advocacy, public education, and recognition of anti-slavery leaders.

• Humanitarian and community programs

  International anti-slavery programs

  FTS operates programs in countries identified as having substantial prevalence of slavery and related exploitation. The named program countries are India, Nepal, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Senegal, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil. The available source does not specify individual project names, launch dates, budgets, or detailed outcome measures.

• Recognition program

  Freedom Awards

  The Freedom Awards recognize people and organizations working to end slavery. The initiative gives public visibility to anti-slavery advocates and movement participants. Reference material identifies Veeru Kohli as a 2009 recipient and Timea Nagy as a 2012 recipient.

• Advocacy and communications

  Advocacy and public education

  FTS conducts advocacy, lobbying, public education, and research-informed campaigning concerning modern slavery. Its public work seeks to explain contemporary forms of exploitation and encourage action by communities, institutions, governments, and the wider public.

• 2012Esperanza Spalding benefit concert and tour fundraising

  United States

  Esperanza Spalding supported FTS through a December benefit concert featuring Bobby McFerrin, Gretchen Parlato, and a special appearance by Paul Simon. She also raised money for the organization during a summer tour.

  Outcome. The source confirms public fundraising and performances for FTS but does not provide the amount raised or a quantified campaign outcome.

  Source

• Adopt a community-based international program strategyStrategy

  Background

  FTS targets countries based on the prevalence of slavery and operates programs across South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

  Action taken

  The organization combined international field programs with advocacy, public education, lobbying, and recognition initiatives.

  Aftermath

  The available source identifies the resulting country portfolio but does not provide sufficient evidence to assess comparative program outcomes.

  Source

1. 1Free the Slavesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Free the Slaves official websitefreetheslaves.net