Op-ed by U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Dinkelman On January 1st the United States marked the 150th anniversary of the date President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that millions of men, women, and children held in slavery were forever free. 

A century and a half later, President Barack Obama said that through the Proclamation, Lincoln "reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to the enduring cause of freedom.  Then as now, we remain steadfast in our resolve to see that all men, women, and children have the opportunity to realize this greatest of gifts."

Yet we are still a long way from achieving the vision of a world free from all contemporaneous forms of slavery.  As many as 27 million people are victims of modern-day slavery, also known as trafficking in persons.  This crime appears in many ways.  It could be the abuse of domestic workers trapped in their employers' homes or the enslavement of a man on a fishing boat. 

It could be the prostitution of a young girl in a brothel or the compelled service of a boy as a child soldier.  Whatever form it takes, at its core human trafficking is a crime of exploitation that robs its victims of their freedom and dignity.  Modern slavery occurs in every country in the world, and every government has a responsibility to respond to it.

The Obama Administration is committed to fighting modern slavery at home and around the world using the "3P" approach--prosecuting traffickers, protecting their victims, and preventing this crime in the future.  The United States is eager to partner with other governments that take this problem seriously, and we are working with stakeholders in civil society, the faith community, and the private sector, which all bring unique capabilities and expertise to this struggle.

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