Overview
The National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month presidential proclamation has been issued annually by the President of the United States since 2010. The proclamations serve as a means for the President to demonstrate political will and leadership on the issues of slavery and human trafficking. They also provide a platform for the President to communicate the administration’s priorities and goals for addressing these issues, and to orchestrate action from government agencies, the private sector, and other stakeholders. The proclamations generally reiterate the same basic themes with variations based on evolving administration priorities and goals and slavery and trafficking threats.
Changes
In recent years, the proclamations place increasing emphasis on the need to protect vulnerable populations, such as women and children, from exploitation and trafficking. The proclamations call for increased efforts to dismantle human trafficking networks, to provide support and resources to survivors, and to raise public awareness about the issue.
Additionally, the proclamations expand their scope to encompass a wider range of forms of slavery and trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, and sex trafficking. The proclamations also recognize the role of technology in facilitating these crimes and call for greater collaboration among governments, law enforcement, and private sector organizations to prevent trafficking and support survivors.
Consistencies
Acknowledgement of the existence of slavery and human trafficking: The proclamations consistently recognize that slavery and human trafficking continue to be a serious problem in the world and call for increased attention and action to address these crimes.
Addressing the root causes of human trafficking: The proclamations acknowledge the importance of a comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking, including measures to address the root causes of trafficking — poverty, lack of education and opportunity, and discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation – that would help to prevent trafficking from occurring in the first place.
Call to action: The proclamations consistently call for increased efforts to prevent slavery and trafficking, to bring perpetrators to justice, and to support survivors.
Commitment to ending slavery and trafficking: The proclamations emphasize the continued strong commitment of the Federal government and the American people to ending slavery and human trafficking, supporting survivors, and to promoting freedom, dignity, and human rights for all.
Emphasis on partnerships: The proclamations emphasize the importance of partnerships between governments, non-profit organizations, the private sector, and other stakeholders in addressing slavery and trafficking.
Enhancing public education and awareness efforts: The proclamations typically emphasize the need to raise awareness and public understanding about human trafficking, including the warning signs and how to report suspected cases.
Recognition of the human impact: The proclamations emphasize the devastating impact that slavery and human trafficking have on the lives of individuals and communities, and call for greater efforts to protect and support survivors.
Former President Obama Proclamations
In Jan 2010, former President Obama made the first presidential proclamation establishing January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Of the 14 proclamations to date, former President Obama issued eight. His proclamations emphasized the role of technology in facilitating trafficking and the need for greater collaboration between the public and private sectors to combat these crimes. The proclamations also recognized the need for greater resources and support for survivors, including through the provision of housing, medical care, and other essential services.
Additionally, the proclamations highlighted the need for increased attention to the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty, lack of education, and conflict, and called for greater efforts to address these underlying factors. The proclamations also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in addressing trafficking and called for increased collaboration among governments and other stakeholders around the world.
“With improved victim identification, medical and social services, training for first responders, and increased public awareness, the men, women, and children who have suffered this scourge can overcome the bonds of modern slavery, receive protection and justice, and successfully reclaim their rightful independence.” (Proclamation, 2010)
“This month, I urge all Americans to educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking.” (Proclamation, 2011)
“By coordinating our response across Federal agencies, we are working to protect victims of human trafficking with effective services and support, prosecute traffickers through consistent enforcement, and prevent human rights abuses by furthering public awareness and addressing the root causes of modern slavery.” (Proclamation, 2012)
“In the months ahead, we will continue to take action by empowering investigators and law enforcement with the training they need, and by engaging businesses, advocates, and students in developing cutting-edge tools people can use to stay safe. We will invest in helping trafficking victims rebuild their lives. And as one of the world’s largest purchasers of goods and services, the Federal Government will keep leading by example, further strengthening protections to help ensure that American tax dollars never support forced labor.” (Proclamation, 2013)
“We are deploying new technology in the fight against human trafficking, developing the Federal Government’s first-ever strategic action plan to strengthen victim services, and strengthening protections against human trafficking in Federal contracts.” (Proclamation, 2014)
“We have launched national initiatives to help healthcare workers, airline flight crews, and other professionals better identify and provide assistance to victims of trafficking. We are strengthening protections and supporting the development of new tools to prevent and respond to this crime, and increasing access to services that help survivors become self-sufficient. We are also working with our international partners and faith-based organizations to bolster counter-trafficking efforts in countries across the globe.” (Proclamation, 2015)
“Our intelligence teams have devoted more resources to identifying trafficking networks, law enforcement officers have been working to dismantle those networks, and prosecutors have striven to punish traffickers.” (Proclamation, 2016)
“Through the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, we have joined with the private sector, faith communities, law enforcement, and advocates to coordinate efforts to prevent trafficking and protect victims. Focusing on an agenda that prioritizes victim services, the rule of law, procurement of supplies, and increasing public awareness, the Task Force has strengthened Federal efforts to end human trafficking.” (Proclamation, 2017)
Former President Trump Proclamations
Proclamations issued during the Trump Administration placed a greater emphasis on the role of law enforcement and border security in preventing trafficking and protecting vulnerable populations. The proclamations also highlighted the need for greater cooperation among governments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector in addressing trafficking, and called for increased resources and support for survivors.
Additionally, the proclamations recognized the importance of raising public awareness about trafficking and called for increased efforts to educate communities and engage with stakeholders to prevent these crimes. The proclamations also emphasized the role of the federal government in leading the fight against trafficking and called for increased resources and support for law enforcement and other agencies working to combat these crimes.
“The Department of Health and Human Services has established a new national training and technical assistance center to strengthen our healthcare industry’s anti-trafficking response. The Department of State has contributed $25 million to the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, because of the critical need for cross-nation collaborative action to counter human trafficking. The Department of Labor has released an innovative, business-focused mobile app that supports private-sector efforts to eradicate forced labor from global supply chains.” (Proclamation, 2018)
“I have made it a top priority to fully secure our Nation’s Southwest border, including through the continued construction of a physical wall, so that we can stop human trafficking and stem the flow of deadly drugs and criminals into our country.” (Proclamation, 2019)
“For the first time, the Department of Transportation committed $5.4 million in grants to the prevention of human trafficking and other crimes that may occur on buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. The Office of Management and Budget also published new anti-trafficking guidance for Government procurement officials to more effectively combat human trafficking in Federal contracting.” (Proclamation, 2020)
“At my direction, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched its new Center for Countering Human Trafficking, which utilizes personnel from 16 DHS components, including special agents, victim support specialists, and intelligence research specialists, to focus on disrupting and dismantling trafficking organizations and providing support and protection to victims.” (Proclamation, 2021)
President Biden Proclamations
President Biden’s proclamations emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of human trafficking and strengthening survivors’ access to services, including affordable housing and trauma-informed care. He also emphasized the role of the U.S. in leading international efforts to combat human trafficking and promoting human rights around the world.
“This month, we released the updated National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking — a whole-of-government approach to combating human trafficking in the United States and abroad… My Administration is also dedicated to ensuring that our justice system holds accountable any individuals or entities engaged in this horrendous crime — and that our domestic and global economic systems offer no safe harbor to forced labor or other abuses.” (Proclamation, 2022)
“Human trafficking is a challenge that transcends borders, so the Department of State and United States Agency for International Development have partnered with allies across the globe to detect human trafficking, connect victims with supportive services, and strengthen accountability.” (Proclamation, 2023)
