Culture & Education | Monday 1 August, 2016 12:26 pm |

The CNN Freedom Project - CNN’s long-running editorial initiative dedicated to ending modern day slavery - will reach new audiences by launching on CNN Arabic.

 

With a remit to enact change, educate and advocate against human trafficking, CNN Freedom Project on CNN Arabic will feature investigations, news reporting and special programming about modern slavery. A special section on CNNArabic.com will feature a mix of CNN Freedom Project content from CNN International and original reports and analysis from the MENA region done by CNN Arabic team. 

 

Since it was founded in 2011, CNN Freedom Project has provided documented evidence leading to the rescue of over 1,000 people worldwide, sparked over $24 million in donations to anti-trafficking organisations, changed laws and corporate policy and inspired NGOs and campaigns around the world. The project has won dozens of journalism and human rights awards, and the U.S. State Department last year honoured CNN International Executive Vice President and Managing Director Tony Maddox as a 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report Hero.

 

“We believe that every human being must enjoy both their humanity and living free,” said Caroline Faraj, Vice President Arabic Services. “This special and unique initiative will help open closed doors, offer a platform for victims to share their stories, and prevent others from becoming easy targets for the organised groups who are trading in the lives of humans. CNN Freedom Project is one of the most important initiatives on CNN, and I’m proud that we can extend its reach to the Arab world.”

 

The addition of CNN Freedom Project to CNN Arabic is supported by The Essam & Dalal Obaid Foundation (EDOF), which shares the same values of the initiative and a commitment to pursue peace and remedy injustices in areas such as human trafficking. EDOF has supported CNN Freedom Project since March 2015 and collaborated with CNN on a number of initiatives including a high-profile special event at Harvard’s Belfer Center that explored ways that elected officials, policymakers, law enforcement, activists and survivors can combat modern slavery.