Event Details
Date: 2 May 2025
Time: 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Alfa House, Bamboo Hall, Buddhanagar, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Freedom in Disasters (FiD), AATWIN (Alliance Against Trafficking in Women and Children in Nepal), and Elevate Programs International (Elevate) are proud to collaborate on the Empower to Protect workshop, a significant event focused on piloting the draft International Standard for Counter Human Trafficking in Disasters.
This important workshop, taking place on 2 May 2025 in Kathmandu, will bring together key stakeholders tol test and refine practical approaches to preventing human trafficking during disaster scenarios, using real-world examples and local insights.
Nepal’s recent history, particularly the devastating 2015 earthquake, demonstrated both the vulnerability of communities to human trafficking during times of crisis and the extraordinary strength of Nepalese society in responding to these challenges. The lessons learned from Nepal’s experience position the country as a critical ally in ensuring the International Standard is grounded, contextually appropriate, and globally relevant.
Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the final shaping of the Standard, drawing directly on the expertise, case studies, and strategies that emerged from Nepal during disaster response and recovery efforts. This collaboration is not just about sharing knowledge, but about ensuring that tools developed to counter human trafficking in disasters truly reflect the lived realities and needs of affected communities.
While this event marks a major milestone, it also opens the door for ongoing collaboration between Freedom in Disasters, AATWIN, Elevate Programs International, and broader stakeholders across the region. Insights gathered during the workshop will directly inform the finalisation of the International Standard, which is expected to be published by the end of 2025 as a living, evolving document.
This event highlights the importance of collective action, two-way knowledge exchange, and regional leadership in building effective protections for vulnerable populations in times of crisis.
About the Collaborating Partners
Freedom in Disasters (FiD) is a global non-profit organisation committed to preventing disaster victims from becoming human trafficking victims. FiD provides a platform for developing and sharing best-practice approaches to counter human trafficking in disaster settings.
AATWIN (Alliance Against Trafficking in Women and Children in Nepal) is a leading national network of non-governmental organisations working tirelessly since 1997 to strengthen human rights protections and eliminate human trafficking, particularly among women and children, through advocacy, policy engagement, and community mobilisation.
Elevate Programs International is a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to enhancing global equity through humanitarian education, advisory services, and professional development programs. Elevate promotes two-way knowledge exchange to strengthen collaboration and empower communities worldwide.
Together, these organisations are committed to building tools and partnerships that make a tangible difference in safeguarding vulnerable populations during disasters.