For the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, ENoMW has prepared a statement based on the powerful speech of survivor leader Blessing Okoedion at the webinar Eradicating Demand to Eliminate Human Trafficking.
From her lived experience, Blessing shows how demand for paid sex drives a system built on violence, exploitation, and erasure — a system that denies women and girls their freedom, dignity, and identity. Her perspective is not only testimony, it is expertise.
This statement reminds us that:
- Demand is what sustains trafficking; without sex buyers, there would be no recruitment or control.
- Survivors carry unique knowledge of how trafficking truly operates and must lead in shaping laws and policies.
- Justice requires survivor voices at the centre, ensuring that protection, exit services, and accountability reach those who need them most.
Read the full Expert Statement