Liberty Shared, an international non-governmental organization, will partner with the Department of Homeland Security's Center for Countering Human Trafficking to improve the DHS's capacity to look into forced labor in the supply chain, according to a recent news release.
“As we mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons this week, we recognize the need to use every resource possible to further our department-wide mission of ending the heinous crime of human trafficking," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement.
The partnership will enable CCHT to "further streamline intelligence, initiate new criminal investigations, and advance ongoing investigations to hold corporations and individual perpetrators accountable," the news release said.
There are an estimated 25 million people who are victims of human trafficking worldwide, with 80% in forced labor and 20% in sex trafficking, the news release said.
“Cases are being opened, and eventually we hope there will be prosecutions," Duncan Jepson, managing director of Liberty Shared said in a statement. "Liberty Shared is pleased to enter this memorandum of understanding with the Center to support their work of improving law enforcement outcomes and increasing the potential of interagency coordination across the U.S. government and its partners.”
