Back to business: New launches and projects despite pandemic setbacks

Nightlight launches their new collection, Freeset celebrates its history, present, and future with Joyya Moments, and Eden Myanmar launches their Building Project Fundraising Campaign, kickstarting their movement to build a legacy of hope for the girls and women of Myanmar.

*Picture courtesy of (c) Freeset Global*

Welcome to the fall edition of Freedom Collaborative’s Asia newsletter. After months of focusing on program adjustment, October and November mark the comeback of many Asian organizations who have seen major setbacks in their freedom businesses resulting from the pandemic. With the holidays drawing near, freedom businesses have launched new lines and programs to restart their work in sustainability and help fundraise to build a secure future for victims and the vulnerable.

This edition highlights the resilience of Asian organizations and pays homage to the outstanding and innovative new programs and projects that have been launched this winter. Please refer to the current affair’s section for news highlights and do take some time out to learn more about Winrock’s new publication on how to build cross-sectoral collaboration to protect workers in the age of COVID-19.

Thank you to all those who contributed, and happy holidays!

Please keep sharing your updates with us via our Facebook group or by email.

PARTNER UPDATES

Nightlight | Thailand

With offices in Thailand and the United States, Nightlight works towards building relationships with women and children exploited in the sex industry, to provide rescue, intervention and assistance building hope through opportunities and alternative employment. In preparation for this holiday season, the freedom business in Thailand has launched their new NightLight Collection. This is big news for NighLight as this collection rebrands the organizations’ image, helping them better represent and celebrate the artisans involved in making the collection. The collection celebrates the women who have been set free through Nightlight’s employment and training programs. This beautiful collection, all handmade in Thailand is now available online, and truly captures the warmth and growth of the empowered women involved in making them. To shop or learn more about the line click here.

HELP for Domestic Workers | Hong Kong

HDW has been busy collaborating on various campaigns to disseminate important information about worker’s rights. Using webinars, live discussions on social media platforms like Facebook, and developing instructive videos, HDW has been very successful in sharing knowledge on Migrant rights and providing useful tips and instructions on how to calculate long term payments and severance pays. In collaboration with OFWs in Hong Kong and Enrich Hong Kong, HDW has successfully managed to share very important information about worker’s rights when taking a loan. This is an ongoing effort by HDW, therefore do keep an eye out for many other virtual events and discussions that are yet to come.

Freeset | India

November was an exciting month for Freeset, as it released its first video on Joyya, celebrating the three-year journey of building 3 businesses in 3 countries. While the launch will officially happen in early 2021, the release of their beautiful video is perfect in encapsulating and celebrating the history, present and future of Freeset and Joyya. The Joyya Freedom businesses have empowered the vulnerable through employment, giving many an opportunity to transform their lives and their communities.

Eden Ministries | Myanmar

November marks the month of the Building Project Fundraising Campaign launch run by Eden Ministries Myanmar! This is big news for Eden as they begin a journey to create a legacy of hope for the women and girls of Myanmar. The vision is to build a sustainable complex containing an exhibition centre, art, dance and music therapy studios, living spaces, vocational training rooms and healing gardens, all surrounded by organic farming projects. It will be the first of its kind in Myanmar, fully devoted to empowering the girls and women of Myanmar. This green sanctuary will be the safe space for all the girls in the Eden project, and will raise the bar for service in Asia. Financial generosity and support is welcome.

CURRENT AFFAIRS And News

India

Poverty , Unemployment and Hunger - signs of extreme poverty resulting from the lockdown has created the perfect environment for traffickers to thrive, causing more children to become victims of false promises. India faces a crisis like never before with child trafficking cases at an extreme high.

According to a survey conducted by an anti trafficking NGO in India, 89% sex workers in Sonagachi area in Kolkata have fallen into a debt bondage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number suggests that 81 of 89% of these workers have taken loans from the informal sector, throwing them further into poverty and vulnerable to exploitation.

Bangladesh

Naimul Karim for Thomas Reuters Foundations writes on Bangladesh’s accelerating efforts to bring human traffickers to justice. Learn more about the first conviction by a special anti-trafficking court set up to clear the backlog of cases in Bangladesh.

China

Forced labor and labor abuse allegations in Xinjianing, China could jeopardize the global solar supply chain. Michael Copley, for S&P Global writes about the importance of having ethical supply chains and the danger of “costly disruptions” to the supply chain if China is not able to comply with labor laws.

Taiwan

A splendid article by Joe Henley for The News Lens that showcases the perspective of the migrant worker, their woes of working under Taiwan’s brokerage system, and their demand for equal rights.

Malaysia and Indonesia

Sexual harassment, abuse and rape: how famous beauty brands are being linked to major human rights abuses amongst female workers in the palm oil industry in Malaysia and Indonesia. Read this eye opener about the severe conditions faced by women in an industry that is supposed to be empowering them.

Philippenes

Read more on Senator Risa Hontiveros and her new bill to monitor Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and other gaming and amusement venues. This is an attempt to decrease the vulnerability to trafficking and prostitution of Philippine women, online and in amusement venues.

OTHER UPDATES

Resonance, as part of the USAID CTIP project publishes a new learning product on how to build cross-sectoral collaboration to protect workers in the age of COVID-19.

This publication looks at how and what effects the pandemic has had on supply chains and workers. It also “puts forward strategies, examples, and new concepts for how NGOs, donors, foundations, and projects focused on countering trafficking in persons (CTIP) — collectively referred to here as “CTIP organizations” — can work with the private sector to protect workers and advance more ethical supply chains in the wake of COVID-19.”

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime publishes an Issue paper on Interlinkages between Trafficking in Persons and Marriage.

This paper is the result of thorough research and analysis on the extent and circumstances under which different forms of marriage may fall within the scope of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.