Country: United States

Innovation: This is an innovative strategy because it is rare that trafficked persons are legally recognized both as victims of a crime and also victims of failure of the state in establishing and maintaining mechanisms to control trafficking and the oppressive economic and labor systems that is flourishing. Protected citizenship status must include barrier free access to welfare benefits, legal redress for victims and their families and stricter punishments for trafficker. By providing a status of protected citizenship for trafficked persons the state is now obliged to acknowledge a failure of its structures and and take responsibility to further protect and provide a better quality of life for them and their families.

Impact: Most developing countries- which are sources of cheap labor are still creating systems to identify and punish the crime of trafficking. A simultaneous move towards a victim- centered approach will contribute in developing and strengthening systems for protection and welfare of the victims. This will also foster a much needed coordination and partnership between the state, NGOs and other providers of social services who are advocating for the rights of the trafficked persons. The most prominent systemic change this innovation brings is the enhanced sense of responsibility on states because of a direct correlation that can be arrived at between the number of trafficked victims and the effectiveness of the state.

Tipping Point: Traffickers operate on the vulnerability of their victims before trafficking them and their voiceless-ness after being trafficked. An existing framework for protected status for trafficked persons will change the power balance completely. A combination of regional coalitions of nations and organizations striving to abide by this agenda can most effectively influence and evolve policies to correspond to this scheme. This innovation also creates a powerful lobby much needed in the holistic approach- an empowered group of survivors whose contribution is immensely valuable. Being a researcher, I am incapable of creating this tipping point alone, but can actively advocate and campaign for a policy reform that will promote this perspective.

Replication: Replication of this model needs enhancement and retouching of the already existing and functioning systems in each country, such as systems for protection of vulnerable populations such as the minorities, and persons and communities with special needs. With increased mobilization and coordination between countries within the existing international and regional forums, replication of this model is very much possible. The NGOs can play a very important role in enabling this replication because of their capacities, innovativeness, flexibility and close proximity to the victims of human trafficking. Present technological advancement, information sharing and connectivity will also enable replication.

Sustainability: Sustainability of this model depends on the active and responsible participation of the different actors involved. Each acts complementary to each other as they work with the common aim of protecting victims of human trafficking. As advocates for a victim centered approach to human trafficking it is imminent that supporting structures such as that for law and order, protection of human rights, providers of social welfare and policy makers act in coordination and partnership. This coordination and partnership fosters sustainability by creating checks and balances and also accountability. What sustains this model is its victim-centered and human-centered approach through its evolution and implementation.

Position in the Human Trafficking Mosaic of Solutions:

Factor: Vulnerability of High-Risk Populations

Principle: Ensuring Law for All