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| The power of time never ceases to amaze me. For example, one year has passed since I last wrote the introduction to the Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach Annual Impact Report. 2023 felt as if it passed in an instant. Yet that same year was filled with more achievements and memories that I can fully recount. |  |
| Thankfully, that’s what documents like this one are made for—condensing a multitude
of accomplishments and innovations by CenHTRO faculty, staff, and students into a
convenient almanac. Framing our work by way of a calendar, however, doesn’t accurately express its scope. Our impact this year stands upon what we’ve built before, and it supports, in turn, what we will be able to achieve going forward. Our work is a process of time—the past, present, and future are in constant conversation. This is key to the sustainability of our work. Keep time in mind when thinking of CenHTRO. We are a young organization, formed not long ago in 2021. |
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| Yet we draw from our team’s decades of interdisciplinary and international experience
to tackle a serious problem. We have already established ourselves as a prominent
influence on the science of human trafficking estimation and proved the potency of
our evidence-informed approach to anti-trafficking program implementation. In the
pages that follow, you’ll witness how CenHTRO is shaping upcoming phases of the global
anti-trafficking movement through ground-breaking research methods and survivor-informed
interventions. This report celebrates the successful completion of our first project in Sierra Leone
and Guinea. Thinking of the past, present, and future, I hesitate to view this moment with any
sense of closure, simply because our work in West Africa, particularly in Senegal
and Sierra Leone, will continue. We are strengthening and broadening these programs. Building upon their success, we have expanded into new areas. Our work on labor trafficking in Southern Africa will gain incredible speed in 2024—we’re excited to disseminate our research and begin our financial capability programs in Malawi and Zambia, where we appreciate the opportunity to once again showcase the effectiveness of our mission. If 2023 disappeared quickly, I believe this year will pass by in a flash. We are in the final stages of the Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum project, which has redefined the field of human trafficking prevalence measurement. Our work to create universal legal definitions of human trafficking alongside three United Nations agencies has reached a critical phase, with CenHTRO conducting a series of stakeholder workshops in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe . There’s certainly more, on which this report will elaborate. With the anticipation of another busy year buzzing as I conclude this message, I can’t wait to sit down and do it all again. Until next time! Sincerely, David Okech Director |
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