EMERGENCY APPEAL

URGENT: Funding crisis threatens some of our life-changing work

The US Government’s sudden freeze on foreign aid funding has put some of our vital projects at immediate risk. Without urgent support, life-changing efforts to protect the world’s most vulnerable people could come to a halt.

We must raise £150,000 as quickly as possible to keep this work going. Every donation makes a difference.

What’s at stake?

Supporting women and girls born into slavery.
Protecting children forced to beg on the streets.
Defending exploited workers trapped in forced labour.

How your gift could help:

Defend migrant workers exploited in the Gulf

£50 could expose human rights abuses against migrant workers and call for justice and reform.

Give £50

Protect children forced to beg on the streets

£100 could protect children from the horrors of forced begging and give them a safe place to learn.

Give £100

Help women and girls born into slavery

£150 could ensure freedom and a brighter future for women and girls born into slavery.

Give £150

Please stand with us today and keep this life-changing work going. Your donation today is more than a gift – it’s a stand against injustice. It’s a lifeline for those who need it most.

Understanding the impact of the US Government’s funding freeze

What has the US Government done?

The US Government has announced a sudden ‘freeze’ on all foreign assistance. As the world’s largest aid donor, the US contributed over 40% of all humanitarian aid in 2024. This decision has put millions of people at risk and threatens global efforts to combat modern slavery.

Why is this funding freeze so dangerous?

This move undermines human rights, democracy, and international institutions working to protect vulnerable people. It has created an immediate crisis, cutting off life-saving support and pushing more people into extreme vulnerability, making them easy targets for exploitation and slavery.

How does this funding freeze increase the risk of slavery?

Without support, people who are already marginalised are forced to make desperate choices: taking on unsustainable debt, accepting dangerous work, or being tricked into exploitation. The funding freeze will mean:

More people forced into modern slavery due to lack of economic alternatives.
More children trafficked and forced into dangerous, exploitative situations.
A rollback of hard-won progress in ending forced labour worldwide.

How has Anti-Slavery International been impacted?

The funding freeze has forced us to pause some critical work at a time when it is needed most. Key projects now at risk include:

Supporting people born into slavery in Mauritania and Niger.
Protecting children forced to beg in Niger.
Campaigning for stronger anti-slavery laws worldwide.
Exposing government-led forced labour in Turkmenistan’s cotton industry.
Defending migrant workers in the Middle East from exploitation.

What does this mean for the fight against modern slavery?

This is one of the greatest threats to progress against slavery in recent times. Without urgent action, many frontline organisations, already working in hostile environments, face financial uncertainty, making it harder for survivors and vulnerable communities to be heard and protected.

What is Anti-Slavery International doing about it?

We are sounding the alarm and calling on our supporters to stand with us. Despite these challenges, we remain firm in our mission to secure freedom for everyone, everywhere, always.

How can I help?

Right now, we need to raise £150,000 as quickly as possible to keep these life-saving projects running. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference.