two women on the beach at sunset with hands raised

U.S. Department of State, Performance Evaluation of the Program to End Modern Slavery

Project dates: 2020-2021

Client type: U.S. Government

Key topics: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research

Related Country(ies): India, Philippines, Vietnam

Region: Asia


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)

Courtney Carr

Written by

Communications Specialist

Courtney Carr is EnCompass’ Communications Specialist, supporting the internal and external messaging and communications initiatives. She brings her knowledge and skills in writing, social media, video production, event planning and television news and radio production to the position. Before joining EnCompass, Ms. Carr worked at Community Science as a business development coordinator. She received her BA in Broadcast Journalism at Pennsylvania State University and holds a MA in Strategic Communication from American University.

Skip to content