Tostan, represented by DC team members, Courtney Petersen and Amy Roll, joined with many other organizations at the 5th annual DC Stop Modern Slavery (SMS) Walk held on the National Mall in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 29.
Each year Stop Modern Slavery hosts a resource fair and solidarity walk allowing organizations to share best practices with other nonprofits—giving Tostan the opportunity to raise awareness of its role in preventing human trafficking in Senegal. The event was attended by hundreds of enthusiastic organizations and supporters who exhibited their commitment to end modern forms of slavery including: human trafficking, sex trafficking, and child labor.
In our work, we realized the social norms behind these practices could be redefined by communities when they discussed and built consensus around the importance of protecting children’s rights. In 2010, the Child Protection Module , which addresses children’s rights and issues of child labor, migration, trafficking, and child/forced marriage, was incorporated into Tostan’s nonformal education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP).
In addition, Tostan leads special trainings for Community Management Committees (CMC) on the moral, social, and legal norms that affect children, strengthening a foundation for the protection of children’s well-being in the community.
This year’s SMS walk and resource fair reaffirmed Tostan’s commitment to secure better futures for thousands of children at risk of human trafficking.
