Since 2004, Humanity United Action’s sister organization, Humanity United (HU) has supported a variety of efforts to address the systems that enable human exploitation around the world. One of HU’s most impactful and lasting efforts was the establishment of the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) in 2009. At the time, HU wanted to bring together a coalition of civil society and human rights organizations to foster stronger U.S. leadership in the global effort to combat modern slavery.

Over the next decade, and with the support of HU and HUA, the ATEST coalition worked diligently to educate U.S. policymakers about the complexity and pervasiveness of human trafficking both at home and abroad. ATEST successfully advocated for a number of legal and regulatory efforts, including multiple re-authorizations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, appropriations, and other policy solutions to increase the U.S. government’s accountability and response to these issues.

In 2017, ATEST successfully transitioned away from HU and HUA’s support to become an independent, self-sustaining coalition that has continued to be an important voice to promote U.S. leadership and policies to prevent and address human trafficking.

This past September, HUA joined the ATEST coalition as one of their newest members, completing the transition from funder to member. As a a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing new approaches to problems like violent conflict and human trafficking, we pursue our mission by working directly with partners to advocate for legislative policies that advance solutions to these problems.

ATEST’s expansion represents an important milestone in both the evolution of the coalition, as well as our collective work to address the systems that enable human trafficking. Like other ATEST members, we believe firmly that the U.S. can and should play a leading role in eradicating human trafficking in all its forms. It is our hope that HUA’s addition to the coalition will strengthen ATEST’s important work to advocate for policy solutions to prevent labor and sex trafficking, hold perpetrators accountable, ensure justice for victims, and empower survivors with tools for recovery.