At Humanity United, we recognize the important role of governments to address the human rights issues that are core to our mission. As a U.S.-based organization, we work with federal policymakers and governments at national and international levels to create greater awareness and understanding of these issues. We also work with a variety of stakeholders to advocate for solutions to prevent and respond to some of the world’s most intractable problems, like forced labor, human trafficking, and systemic violent conflict.

We also believe in the power of partnerships. As a result, we work with and support civil society organizations, networks, individuals, and other partners to collectively educate policymakers about these problems and the solutions available to tackle them.

For over a decade, our policy and government relations team have worked to ensure attention and coordinated advocacy around the U.S. government’s responses to conflicts. We have also pressed for peaceful solutions in places like Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. More recently, the team has worked to educate policymakers about the need for the U.S. to prioritize efforts that prevent violent conflicts from happening before they occur, and to address emerging complex crises around the world, including building effective institutions within the U.S. government to address these challenges.

The team have also worked to address human trafficking in all its forms. In 2007, Humanity United established the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) to ensure strong U.S. leadership in global efforts to end forced labor, debt bondage, sex trafficking, and other forms of modern slavery. For ten years, we supported capacity for the coalition, helping with coordination and supplying central staff, and we brought in expertise to help ATEST meet its objectives. Two years ago, ATEST transitioned into an independent and self-sustaining coalition.

Policy solutions can promote, inspire, and catalyze conditions for peace and freedom. That’s why we continue to ensure key stakeholders understand the need for policies that prevent human rights abuses from occurring, support the agency of local actors and survivors, and hold perpetrators of trafficking and conflict accountable.