National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, 2017

Proclamation 9561 of December 28, 2016

National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention
Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our Nation wrestled with the issue of slavery in a way
that nearly tore us apart--its fundamental notion in
direct contradiction with our founding premise that we
are all created equal. The courageous individuals who
rejected such cruelty helped us overcome one of the
most painful chapters in our history as we worked to
realize the promise of equality and justice for all.
But today, in too many places around the world--
including right here in the United States--the
injustice of modern slavery and human trafficking still
tears at our social fabric. During National Slavery and
Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we resolve to shine
a light on every dark corner where human trafficking
still threatens the basic rights and freedoms of
others.

From factories and brothels to farms and mines,
millions of men, women, and children in the United
States and around the world are exploited for their
bodies and their labor. Whether through violence,
deceit, or the promises of a better life, some of the
most vulnerable populations among us--including
migrants and refugees fleeing conflict or disaster,
homeless LGBT youth, Alaska Native and American Indian
women and girls, and children in poverty--are preyed
upon by human traffickers. In order to rid the world of
modern slavery we must do everything in our power to
combat these violations of human decency.

The United States has pursued efforts to address these
crimes and lift up individuals who have suffered
unspeakable abuse at the hands of traffickers. Through
the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat
Trafficking in Persons, we have joined with the private
sector, faith communities, law enforcement, and
advocates to coordinate efforts to prevent trafficking
and protect victims. Focusing on an agenda that
prioritizes victim services, the rule of law,
procurement of supplies, and increasing public
awareness, the Task Force has strengthened Federal
efforts to end human trafficking. In 2012, I issued an
Executive Order to strengthen protections against human
trafficking in Federal contracting, and nearly a year
ago, I signed legislation that strengthened our ability
to prevent products made with forced labor, including
child labor, from entering American markets.

We must address the consequences of human trafficking
and work to tackle its root causes. This past fiscal
year, the Department of Health and Human Services and
the Department of Justice provided more than $60
million to community-based organizations and task
forces to assist human trafficking victims, and since
the beginning of my Administration, we have nearly
tripled the number of victims connected to services.
The Department of Homeland Security has also taken
steps to streamline immigration procedures for
trafficking victims and ensure their regulations are
consistent with existing law. And through new Victims
of Crime Act regulations, Federal funds can now be used
to help human trafficking victims with their housing.
Through the White House Council on Women and Girls, we
have worked to address the sexual abuse-to-prison
pipeline that disproportionately affects those
especially vulnerable to sex trafficking--including
young women and

girls of color. And the U.S. Advisory Council on Human
Trafficking--comprised of 11 human trafficking
survivors of diverse backgrounds and experiences--
recently released its first set of recommendations for
combating human trafficking while keeping survivor
perspectives in mind.

Every action we take at home, from the clothing we wear
to the food we eat, is connected to what happens around
the world. As a Nation, we have worked to address the
problem of forced labor in our supply chains, and as
individuals, we must strive to be conscientious
consumers. Working with our friends and allies, we have
made this issue an international priority. Just this
year we used multilateral fora, including the North
American Leaders Summit, the East Asia Summit, and the
United Nations, to raise awareness and work with
partners around the globe. In addition to urging other
countries to develop and expand their anti-trafficking
laws and services for victims, we are also stepping up
our foreign assistance in this area. Working alongside
the international community, we have seen significant
increases in trafficking prosecutions and convictions,
and we have made great strides in supporting victims.

As leaders in the global undertaking to end the
exploitation of human beings for profit, we must always
remember that our freedom is bound to the freedom of
others. This month, let us find inspiration in
America's progress toward justice, opportunity, and
prosperity for all and reaffirm our pledge to continue
fighting for human rights around the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim January 2017 as
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention
Month, culminating in the annual celebration of
National Freedom Day on February 1. I call upon
businesses, national and community organizations,
families, and all Americans to recognize the vital role
we must play in ending all forms of slavery and to
observe this month with appropriate programs and
activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.