Issara Institute (Project Issara)

History

With support from Humanity United, Project Issara launched in Bangkok, Thailand in January 2014 as a public-private sector platform to tackle human trafficking in Southeast Asia, with an initial focus on forced labor in Thailand’s export oriented industries affecting global supply chains. Project Issara (Issara means ‘freedom’ in several of the Southeast Asian languages) is built on the experience of a team of anti-human trafficking experts coming out of the United Nations who created an alliance of private sector, civil society and government partners to address trafficking in global supply chains. The core team is comprised of these trafficking experts, supported by Anti-Slavery International; private sector development experts from Emerging Markets Consulting; supply chain and industry experts from Faro Global; legal advisors from DLA Piper; and a number of local community-based organizations and victim service providers spanning the region which form the referral network for Project Issara's helplines.

Mission

To advance freedom, choices and opportunities to those who need it most, from disenfranchised factory workers to stranded, abused fishermen to migrant and minority children