The GLC began in 2012 as a project of Chab Dai, a Cambodian anti-trafficking organisation, under the leadership of its Founder and Executive Director Helen Sworn. The project built on the work of Chab Dai’s Cambodian Coalition project to develop a coordinated and informed anti-trafficking movement in the region and on a global scale.

After an external evaluation of the project in 2020, the GLC transitioned from a Chab Dai project to a cooperative community project.

The GLC community then collaboratively developed its new vision and mission and outlined the core values of the project as it was brought into its new iteration. Built into its DNA was its unique model as a project to be held for a three yearly term by different members of the community. Hereby becoming a shared space that could support a truly global, communally based approach to confronting the complexities of human trafficking and modern slavery.   

The focus is on supporting, inspiring and growing one another as the anti-trafficking and modern slavery movement.

We strive to be a fully inclusive and accessible community according to our Core Values and we welcome any individual who sees and understands the value of the GLC for themselves and their work and who aligns with our Vision, Mission and Core Values.

You are welcome to join the GLC if you: 

• Are active in any work to combat human trafficking or exploitation or work that intersects with these issues.

• Are wanting to learn, share your knowledge with others, find community and collaborate.

• Agree with our mission, vision, and values. 

• Complete our simple, but necessary, onboarding process which is overseen by the Secretariat.

The GLC represents a safe space for a diverse community. For this community to function effectively it is crucial that all members align themselves with the GLC core values. If this is not the case, membership will be reviewed and discussed in dialogue with the members/organisation in question.

Our primary community calls are held monthly which we call our Monthly Learning Calls, on the third Tuesday of every month. These give members the opportunity to engage with their GLC peers across the globe and hear GLC updates shared by the Secretariat. These calls are open to members and are recorded and shared afterwards. Further to these we host a variety of other calls for the community led by other members or members of the Secretariat such as ad-hoc Coffee Corner Calls, Network & Coalition Leaders Calls and calls pertaining to any community initiatives that are underway.

As a people-centred community, the GLC prioritises developing a community culture grounded in an understanding that we are all first and foremost human, and further, that this movement consists of unique individuals who are trying to do often very hard work in hard places.

GLC members can contribute to this culture by permitting themselves and their fellow members to embody their humanness. We believe that creative and effective collaborative work is best facilitated when individuals have a sense of safety and belonging. 

Members can:

• Attend Monthly Learning Calls as are of interest and/or relevance.

• Attend Coffee Corner Calls as are of interest.

• Offer to contribute to Monthly Learning Calls - to share with the community about their work in their own contexts and contribute to our collective learning.

• Host a Coffee Corner Call on a topic related to your work and/or sharing key learnings.

• Connect with other members who have specific skills and experiences 

• Collaborate with other members in Community Initiatives to develop resources

The GLC membership has no fee because our core value of inclusivity means we intentionally work towards enabling access for all - to be a truly inclusive space for those engaged in grassroots anti-trafficking work and to foster greater equity in the movement. We are grateful to our funders who support this vision and enable us to make this project truly accessible to all.

Our primary operational language is English with some additional language support for Bahasa Indonesian, Bangla, Thai and Spanish. Specifically, we provide simultaneous interpretation in these languages on our Monthly Learning Calls which are our main community meetings. 

We hope to provide additional language support as funding allows and as the community grows. 

The GLC is funded by external donor foundations so that the community can access the resources for no cost.

Go to the ARAT website to learn more about our upcoming conference and to buy tickets