The report Global pandemic, local devastation: Frontline efforts to support the most vulnerable highlights the devastating impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities, particularly those at risk of modern slavery. In response to the crisis, the Freedom Fund established an Emergency Response Fund (ERF) in April 2020, raising $2 million and distributing over $1.4 million in 144 grants to frontline civil society partners across countries like India, Nepal, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Brazil. The grants focused on emergency relief, advocacy support, and microfinance to help communities cope with the economic fallout of the pandemic.
In Nepal, the Freedom Fund supported partners to address the exploitation of bonded labourers and minors in the entertainment industry. Myanmar received help for increased advocacy for migrant workers’ rights, while Thailand’s seafood industry faced intensified scrutiny to combat forced labour. In Ethiopia, emergency shelters were established for returning migrants, and Brazil prepared to tackle the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The report emphasises the importance of local community structures in building resilience and calls for continued investment in these initiatives to address the long-term socio-economic consequences of COVID-19, ensuring that future strategies reflect the changed realities post-pandemic.
Click here or on the image below to access the report.
