The multilayered process evaluation of the Program to End Modern Slavery (PEMS), supports the U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) to address Congress and other key stakeholders to examine a high-profile, systems-based project aiming to affect policy and behavioral drivers to reduce human trafficking (i.e., modern slavery). Activities, subawards, measurement research and projects being assessed take place across multiple labor sectors and geographies in South Asia, to include construction, apparel, overseas domestic, technology, and commercial sex exploitation of children in India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The evaluation assesses process and potential for progress for the first of four $25 million tranches of funding (PEMS 1).

The evaluation of the Program to End Modern Slavery also includes development of a landscape analysis, rubric, case summaries, and assessment of various prevalence estimation methodologies used to measure modern slavery for targeted PEMS 1 sector-geographies. As part of this work, we are also producing a Prevalence Estimation Factors and Considerations tool to support decision making around TIP prevalence estimation methodologies—a nascent research field. We are implementing a Delphi Technique with a panel of up to 40 Research and Prevalence Estimation Panel members and three survey rounds to establish stronger consensus around criteria and considerations for decision-making regarding the use of TIP prevalence estimation methodologies, under different contexts and for various purposes, limitations (e.g., cost or time), and needs.

Results for this evaluation are expected to support resource allocation and policy decisions regarding international efforts to measure and reduce modern slavery.

Photo credit: hands up by Randy Pagatpatan (CC BY-ND 2.0)