JVI Expands Partnership with Freeset to Fight Human Trafficking
Murshidabad, West Bengal. Over the last several years, JVI has been working closely with justice partner Freeset through the Shop for Freedom Campaign (SFF) to help bring freedom to woman in the sex trade. Last month, JVI volunteers Tom and Anna Kim (Tom is a JVI board member and Anna has pioneered SFF and serves with Freeset as well) traveled to the rural district of Murshidabad, West Bengal, a key human trafficking source area, to work with Freeset in supporting a new initiative to fight human trafficking. The initiative brings together JVI’s anti-trafficking legal expertise with Freeset’s freedom business vision and experience.
Building upon the success of Freeset Bags and Apparel in Kolkata, India, the Freeset Business Incubator will nurture and support the development of freedom businesses to bring freedom to vulnerable groups at source (villages where women and young girls come from) and destination areas (red light districts). As a partner of Freeset, JVI will deliver a range of legal support including collaborative legal case work, human rights training, advocacy, and business legal support to freedom businesses. JVI plans to staff an office in Murshidabad with one or more lawyers and paralegals to assist Freeset Business Incubator. JVI will also deploy our legal advocates based in other parts of India to provide support and assistance in specialized areas of law — whether human rights matters (anti-trafficking, perpetrator accountability, and human rights violations) or business law advice and support. Proactive and collaborative legal intervention with local partners will serve to help prevent the trafficking of women and girls at rail stations and other transit points before they are deprived of their freedom and taken far from their homes.
Please prayerfully consider supporting us on these ventures to bring freedom opportunities to the people of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
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