International Justice Mission President And CEO Addresses Modern-Day Slavery And Sex Trafficking Solutions At 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

Human Rights Agency Leads Anti-Trafficking Efforts to Achieve 40% Reduction in Trafficking with Proven Model for CGI Commitment

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Immediately following President Bill Clinton's opening remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, Gary Haugen, president and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM), addressed CGI attendees—which included world leaders, business executives, and celebrity advocates— on solutions to this issue with the human rights agency's commitment to reduce sex trafficking by 40% over the next three years with a groundbreaking NGO/government partnership model in Pampanga, The Philippines.

"Our goal is not just to bring protection to individual victims of abuse, but to see entire communities transformed so that the poor are never victimized in the first place," said Mr. Haugen. "This is why we committed at CGI to bring our proven model to Pampanga, the Philippines – where we will catalyze a coalition of forces by empowering NGO partners and civil society, with the goal of transforming the public justice system to effectively deter abusers and measurably reduce trafficking over next three years."

Founded in 1997, IJM brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression in 12 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to rescue victims of violence, provide the care they need, prosecute perpetrators under local laws, and help transform public justice systems.  

IJM's collaborative casework model, which empowers local governments, has already been successfully implemented in Cebu, The Philippines – where outside researchers found a 79% drop in the availability of children for commercial sex after four years of IJM partnership with law enforcement.

Since opening their Pampanga field office earlier this year, IJM recently supported the Philippine National Police in their first rescue operation in the region. 17 trafficking survivors are now safe in an aftercare shelter, and the alleged perpetrators are currently in detention as the trial proceeds. Subsequently, the bar and the hotel used as a front for trafficking the women and girls were ordered closed by the government. IJM is also assisting the Philippines National Police establish a dedicated anti-human trafficking task force and training members of the local justice system in prosecution of human trafficking cases in court.

In the past five years alone, IJM has brought relief to more than 10,500 victims of violence and injustice, and secured the conviction of more than 400 violent criminals - with hundreds more on trial.

To learn more about IJM's president and CEO, Gary Haugen, visit www.ijm.org/staff/gary-haugen and follow him on Twitter @garyhaugen.

To book media interviews with Gary Haugen during the CGI Annual Meeting Sept. 23 - 25, contact [email protected] or 571-447-5103. 

To learn more about IJM's efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.ijm.org, follow us on Twitter @IJMHQ and Facebook at facebook.com/InternationalJusticeMission.

About International Justice Mission
International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work in 15 communities in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America with local officials to secure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to ensure that public justice systems - police, courts and laws - effectively protect the poor.          

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $69.2 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

CONTACT: Kay Anuluoha
[email protected] 571-447-5103

SOURCE International Justice Mission