Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Call on United Nations Member States to Uphold Their Commitments on 30th Anniversary of Beijing Platform for Action

New York, NY (March 10, 2025) – Today, sex trade survivors from SPACE International and leaders from women’s rights organizations spoke out at a press conference to demand action from Member States to uphold their commitments made in Beijing, China, 30 years ago to protect the rights of women and girls, including preventing and ending the sexual exploitation of women and girls worldwide.

“Change will not happen unless the individuals and entities who have power listen to survivors. We survivors are the ones who know the true devastation, the degradation, the trauma we have endured in the sex trade,” said Blessing Okoedion, a Nigerian sex trade survivor living in Italy and the Founder and Director of Weavers of Hope. “We know the path to healing is a long one, and one that requires legal aid, housing, medical and psychological services, and much more. We are asking for Member States and governments to see the suffering of women and girls in the sex trade as a crisis that needs urgent action.”

The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action offered governments a blueprint to achieve gender equality, including strengthening “the implementation of all relevant human rights instruments in order to combat and eliminate […] trafficking in women and children, including trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation.” Yet, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2024 Global Trafficking in Persons report revealed that 61% of identified trafficking victims are women and girls, while 92% of detected sex trafficking victims are women and girls. The fastest growing group of detected trafficking victims are girls at 23% (vs. 7% for boys).

“Thirty years after the promises made in Beijing, overwhelming apathy lingers when it comes to securing equal rights for women and girls,” said Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. “The Commission on the Status of Women is an opportunity for Member States and stakeholders to assess the challenges that women and girls face worldwide, including the devastating impact of the multibillion-dollar global sex trade. The United Nations cannot have these conversations without sex trafficking and prostitution survivors whose lived experiences guide us in finding the best solutions to end these human rights violations. Every woman and girl deserves the full commitment of her government to enact and enforce laws that uphold principles of equality and justice.”

“As a survivor, I urge Member States gathered in New York for the 69th session of the Commission on the Status on Women to uphold international law and enact national laws that target the demand that fosters sexual exploitation,” said Gabrielle Prieto, survivor leader and Senior Peer Navigator for Sanctuary for Families, New York’s leading service provider and advocate for survivors of gender-based violence. “Survivors endure immense pain and trauma from exploitation, while society often normalizes and glamorizes this atrocity. We ask our governments to honor the voices of those who suffered and to prevent future harm from occurring.”

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted in part by Eleanor Roosevelt, defines the ‘the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family’ as ‘the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world,’” said Jessica Neuwirth, Rita E. Hauser Director of the Human Rights Program, Roosevelt House. “Women and girls will never enjoy these foundational rights as long as there is a marketplace for their bodies. It is beyond time that Member States and governments to understand the system of prostitution as one of exploitation and human rights abuses.”

“The sex trade preys on those most vulnerable everywhere in the world,” said Cherie Jimenez, a sex trade survivor from Boston, USA and the Executive Director of SPACE International. “We therefore need strong laws and policies that ensure pathways out of prostitution, with viable alternatives and real options. We must end the pipeline of young women into the sex trade, and more importantly shift the focus to the sex buyers who fuel the sex trade, and to exploiters who continue to perpetuate and protect this harmful practice. At a time when poverty and inequalities are deepening, we cannot afford to expand the sex trade.”

“As someone who was trafficked right here in New York City, I know firsthand the failings of our systems,” said Melanie Thompson, survivor leader and Chief Outreach and Advocacy Officer of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. “It is incredibly frustrating to constantly fight for those who have been sexually exploited to be seen and treated as survivors deserving of safety and services, rather than criminals. Society seems to finally understand that victims of sexual assault and domestic violence need legal protections and trauma-informed care. When will we understand the same of sex trade survivors?”

“I say that I am lucky because I got help at the right time. But so many women and children are not as lucky as me,” said Saga, a sex trade survivor from Sweden and co-founder of Beyond Survivors. “Surviving or avoiding sexual violence should not come down to ‘luck.’ Every woman and child – every human being – deserves to a life free from exploitation and abuse. I am also ‘lucky’ to have been born in Sweden, where the laws reflect a commitment to ending commercial sexual exploitation and prioritizing the health and safety of women and girls. It is my hope that this legal framework be adopted around the world so that women and girls can rely on the law – and not luck -for their survival and freedom.”

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About the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW)
CATW is one of the oldest international organizations working to end the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and girls. Through an approach rooted in women’s rights and human rights principles, we advocate for strong laws and policies, raise public awareness and support survivor leadership.

About SPACE International
SPACE Intl (Survivors of Prostitution and Abuse Calling for Enlightenment) was founded in 2012 from Ireland by Rachel Moran for the purpose of changing social attitudes towards prostitution. In 2013 the decision was taken to expand the group internationally and take on representatives from all corners of the globe. Survivors are best positioned to lead the efforts to change how we think about prostitution. We strive to be a learning community for survivors, supporting each other and creating a culture of healing, recognizing the trauma and harm that we have endured in our lives.

About Frontline Women’s Fund (FWF)
FWF was created in 2011 and In 2015 integrated into the Sisterhood Is Global Institute, a feminist think-tank founded by Robin Morgan and Simone de Beauvoir in 1984. The Gloria Steinem Equality Fund to End Sex Trafficking is one of four Funds run by FWF. It is co-convened by CATW, SPACE Intl, and CAP Intl and it supports 13 frontline women’s groups around the world working to end sex trafficking and the sex trade. Frontline Women’s Fund’s leadership includes Gloria Steinem and other prominent women’s rights activists with extensive experience in global advocacy for women’s rights.

About Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College
Roosevelt House, an integral part of Hunter College since 1943, re-opened in 2010 as a public policy institute honoring the distinguished legacy of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Its mission is three-fold: to educate students in public policy and human rights, to support faculty research, and to foster creative dialogue. The institute provides opportunities for students to analyze public policy and experience meaningful civic engagement; for faculty to research, teach, and write about important issues of the day; and for scholarly and public audiences to participate in high-profile lectures, seminars and conferences.

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