■k who resigned in january. lawmakers will work on5 federal snding/and funding the defense, homeland security dertments from in the year. members will next returnvotes o. watch live coveragon see the senate on c-span2. you can watch all of½5! our coverage with our free video app c-span now, or online at c-span.org. >> tuesday, former olympia champions members michael phelps and allison schmidt testify in and -- anti-doping efforts. watch live at 7:00 p.m. eastern on c-span now our free mo v online c-span.org. up next, secretary of state antony blinken gives remarks on his department's annual report

on human trafficking. the event recognizes the efforts of 10 individuals in combating even trafficking. from the state department. this is about half an hour. ■0 ambassador dyer: good morning. have the privilege of serving as the ambassador-at-larg■e office to monitor and combat trafficking in persons. thank you all for joining us today to mark the release of the 2024 trafficking in personsicule

commemorate the 20th anniversary of our tip report heroes program, as highlighted in the video we just watched. we extend our deepest thanks to mira sorvino, unodc goodwill ambassador in the obigt human tr supporting this effort and lending her voice to t video.■o since 2004, the department has report heroes from around the world. these individuals have made s c to the antitrafficking movement. it is both humbling experience to share this stage wh the 2024 hoe we are recognizing here today. during today's program, secretary blinken will deliver next we will honor the 10 tip report heroes for their outa

human trafficking in the face of hardships and challenging environments. the heroes who will speak onf behalf of this year's honorees. after the ceremony, we invite this year's report and learn d here, we invite you to join us for a reception in the delegates' lounge. the tip report stands as a key cornerstone of ourollective global efforts to fight human this on the intersection of technology and ickers exploit technological advancements to conduct their crimes and obscure theiidentities, we must also take advantage of new strengthen traditional methods

and practices to identify victims, disrupt criminal networks, and hold trafficuntab. this year's report also explores creative practices used in the field, developed in consultation with survivors that result in more victim-centered and instance, you will find information on innovative strategies in human trafficking investigations and prosecutions that can reduce reliance on victim testimony. as a former prosecuti employing these strategies provides greater protection and support for victims, strengthens the criminal case, and enhancesty a. innovative partnerships can help us build prevention and protection efforts that are challenges. our office recently the

first ever partnership to prevent trafficking in persons, or p2p it's d.c., it's got to have anwith zambia. the p2p program is based on the successful child protection compact program and multi-year action plan to■n strengthen government efforts and civil society collaboration to combat trafficking. p2p agreements to draw on the best program but which will benefit all hutr matter their age. many adult first exploited as children but never identified and never assisted, and we shouldn't stop caring about victims just because they turn 18.am also the that our office is planning to make an award in september to an organization that will provide technical assistance to support

foreign governments and partners in their efforts to establishshs and engage sur it is essential that antitrafficking advocates continually and intentionally connect and partner with■o communities who are most impacted by trafficking, especially those from historically marginalized populations who are often excluded during the development of policies directly affecting th to this end, the united states continues establishing a new and innovative way to incorporate sunto federal antitrafficking policy and programs, primarily through then trafficking and the department's consultant network. engaging th iiv experience of human trafficking and incorpor

our antitraffickinintives benefit from diverse perspectives and insights and leads to survivor-informed( policies that are more effective. ods are crucial in our fight against human traffickingr who shares that vision and commitment. thank you, secretary blinken, for hosting day's for your contn advancing efforts to cbat human trafficking both in the united states and globally.■ ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the secretary of state, secretary blinken: thank you. thank you. good morning, everyone. very good to have you here today at the state department, in the benjamin franklin room,

especially with our guests. to everyone involved, i'm so glad we're coming together today. the 2024 trafficking in human persons report is a comprehensive, objective assessment of the state of antitrafficking efforts ]pacross 188 countries and territories, including the united states. for more than two decades, this report has documented emerging progress and setback, identified effective initiatives combatng human trafficking. let me start by saying howre te. 'd also like to thank our colleagues at posts across the world for your work in gathering the information, meeting with host governments, engaging survivors to enrich the report

and further our missions. . our diplomacy, american diplomacy, is at its best when it reflects strong, bipartisan support. that's why we'reo grateful for the partnership from both sides of the aisle in congress on this crucial and, alas, enduring issue. u to the human trafficking expert consultant network and the u.s. advisory council, who ensure that our policies are centered where they belong, on the experiences and on the perspectives of the survivors. we're honored to be joined today by these 10 tip report heroes, remarkably courageous individuals who are drivingdrive face of daunting obstacles, often at great personal risk. each hero brings a unique approach to tacklinghi challenge, but their efforts, like those of our government,

are rooted in a shared belie ael people. trafficking violates that shared it also undermines the rule of ■monomic opportunity. and while trafficking is as old as humanity itlf, perpetrators continue to evolve their methods.■/ the 2024 report examines in practices, the growing role of digital technology in trfi you for that reason among many others. around the world, traffickingget victims online through social media, through dating apps, through gaming platforms. peetrators cnhonduct financial transactions in opaque cryptocurrencies. they use encryption to make it harder to detect their activities or ascertaithe countries where they're operating. and increasingly, traffickers coerce their victims into participating in online scams.

traffickers used fake jobexample listings to lure individuals away from their homes with the promise of well-paying jobs. instead, they were taken to an isolated, ar burma, where their phones were confiscated. there, captives were forced to swindle people online,nc american citizens, swindling them into investing in fake cryptocurrencies, typically through romance scams.ivor, a chemical engineer from india, told a reporte■ñr that he was locked in a cell and starved until he agr the scams. this practicofafficking with cyg is becoming more and more common. now, social media can rein ctim of trafficking, including along lines of gender, race,

ethnicity, and class, like the false but widely held notion that trafficking only affects women and girls. these misconceptions limit the ability of communities, of authie themselves to recognize abuse as it's happening. at the same time, this year' same technologies can be deployed to uncover and disrupt trafficking and can help ustters accountable. civil society and the private sector are collaborating to teabled tools that detect trafficking operations. here again, an example. againsta coalition of leading tech companies and antitrafficking ngos, is developing mach learning initiatives that address emerging trafficking trends and tactics. this allows advocates and governments to identify and share new vulnerabilities, as well as to more effectively track down and prosecute afing schemes, all the while preserving the anonymity of the victims.

civil society groups are rolling out mobile apps tovi groups with information about their rights, as well as about the wages, the labor c offered by potential employers. other digital tools empower workers to document and report trafficking. in brazil, the state department assisted a trade union that coffee workers to set up a help line on whatsapp where laborers can report abuses and get the support they need. governments are integrating digital technology into their antitrafficking efforts. canada, for example, worked with major financial institutions public-private partnership that reviews suspicious transactions to identify the potential laundering of money from trafficking. trafficking is the very29 definiti■gon of a problem that o one nation can solve alone. more than ever, we have to work not only with governments but

civil society, multinational organizations, citizens, and survivors who understand the complex challenge and how we can confront it, and they know thi better than anyone survivors . survivors like al-amin noyon.ngm university, he was lured away from his village in bangladesh by a man who promised a higher-paying job abroad. noyon's parents sold much of l< instead, he was taken to a neighboring country, where he was forced to work alongside others who were clearing a dense jungle. they werid. no one was allowed to leave. f ed to work, we would be beaten," noyon said. for seven months, he worked in these brutal conditions until he

pe eventually, noyon made his way to t finally, back home. story. ng escaped, noyon decided to dedicate himself to helping those who found themselves victims of trafficking. as he put it, "i turned my scars into my strength."years later, e , thousands of people owe their freedom to his efforts. today, we honor noyon as one of our tip heroes. his story is a testament to the his story is a testament to the extraordinary resilience o survivors and all that they contribute to this shared

movement. so i wanted to highlight the report to you, but i especially now want to get out of the way so that you can appreciate and applaud the extraordinary individuals who share thta with us, our tip report heroes.■ to them, to all of you here who are working on this vital mission, thank you, thank you, thank you. cindy, back to you. [applause] ambassador dyer: thank y secretary blinken. i am excited to indeed now turn our attention to the 2024 tip report heroes. please join me as we recognize and hothfirst, al-amin noyon, f. [applause] in recognition of his exceptional efforts managing a migration informn er

personal experience to provide survivor-centered support to an estimated 35,000 trafficking victims and migrants returning to bangladesh.marcela martinez , in recognition -- [applause] in recognition of her extraordinary leadership in the antitraffiing velivia, spurring antitrafficking legal protections, increasing the visibility of searches for trafficking victims, and reintegration support to survivor

and courageoices and stories of survivors of forced labor and exploitation in cuba's labor exportrogram, including its medical brigades. [applause] afa ridha mustafa al-yasiri, from ira of courageous antitrafficking work, increasing identification continuously improving support sevictims. [applause] , in recognition of her decades spent fighting against human traf

labor exploitation, in particular her advocacy on behalf of domestic workers, pushing for coordinaon service ov■fiders to improve shelter provision and lobbying government for strengthened protections. [applause] oumou elkhairou niarai samakai n reinvigorate mali's antitrafficking efforts, leading the development of a national action plan to comba trafficking in persons, and advocating for the passage of laws that have provisions for higher punishments for trafficking pns hereditary slavery offenses. [applause] ■samson inocencio from the

philippines in recognition of his courageo lhid distinguished career in partnering with the philippine government to enhance the public justice system and civil society's response to human trafficking, leading to the identification of and assistance the convictions of hundreds of traffickers, and the protection of many children from exploitation. [applause] avic from serbia in recognition of her acclaimed antitrafficking work in serbia, relentless push for sustbl the provision of victim-centered approaches, prioritization of■wg long-term economic integration for suivors to prevent

revictimization. [applause]rosa cendon from spain in catalonia, her pivotal rolecy in the design of national victim protection policies, contributions to the development of detection and intervention tools, and advocacy for the establishment of an ngo network to srt refugees d integrate antitrafficking measures into the asylum reception system.■+anle of her dedicated efforts as head of the squrginame police force's

tip unit in the absence of any antitrafficking ngos in the country to improve the unit's■■, identify and serve victims, while strengthening community outreach and the pubc'trcongrate 2024 tip report heroes. [applause]w(■■ from one of our heroes this morning. please join me in welcoming mrs. edith murogo. [applause]

everyone, and jambo from kenya i am edith murogo, working with the center for domestic training and lot and a member of a very robust cso network in nairobi that works on fighting trafficking, smuggling of migrts, anj- i'm also very happy and excited to see someone i met almost 10 years ago, former ambaadbaca. thank you so much. we were very encouraged by your si, esteemed guests, fellow awardees, and distinguished members of the u.s. government, it is a profound honor to represent my fellow traffic heroes today. of our efforts

to eradicate human trafficking, a scourge thatti plague our global community.d oo st spirit of grassroots advocates who have dedicated their time and risked their lives to co this heinous crime.our journey n driven by the firm conviction that change is possible.g togetn dismantle the structures that enablera systems that protect and empower this ceremony validates the ef the world who are courageously confronting human trafficking.

here. this event reminds us of the challenges aheworking alongsided survivors, i have witnessed how this abhorrent crime festers in the shadows. as composer du yun observed, when we think of human trafficking, we always thinkm ut the reality is trafficking permeates our communities.]çes human trafficking continue to thrive? co poverty, political instability, systemic inequalities, and social injustices create fertils fueled by ignorance, corruption, and greed. what can the global community

as condoleezza rice said, defeating human trafficking is a g of our time. i propose five actions.! the first one is to raise awareness. ep is to educate the public on indicators of trafficking and the grim realities victims face, so communities can take proactive measures.ñb number two, we need to supports. we need robust support systems for survivors, including safe shelters, legal advocacy, medical care, and psychological the ngos leading this effort require sustained financial backing. strengthen legislation. our governments must adopt andee penalties for perpetrators.

given the transnational nature of trafficking, international coote economic opportunities , and this is very important. tackling the root causes of human trafficking requires addressing the economic disenfranchisement and edathat traffickers exploit. ps. we have an african proverb thato alone. if you want to go far, go together. sorry. if you want to go fast, go alone. if you want to go far, go ■together. we cannot win the fight against trafficking alone. let us partnera network of support. for now, i leave you with an urgent call to upholr values, freedom, justice, and human dignity.

artin luther king, jr., asserted, the time is always right to do what is right. in conclusion, let us heed the words of former president barack obama. "change will not come if we wait for some other person or some/r other time. waiting for. we are the change that we seek.a " trafficking.can be the change thank you so much to all of you■ [applause] ambassador dyer: thank you so

much, mrs. murogo, for your thoughtful remarks on behalf of all of the tip report heroes this yea report heroes for the amazing work that you do before we depart today, i would like trafficking in pso and our colleagues across the commitment and dedication to producing the tip report. i have often told my staff that when i took this job, i knew it was myream job, but i didn't know that the dream job came with the dream team. it does. they are the dream team. also, a special thanks to our counterparts in the educational and cultural affairs partners for our office, including in production of the report and in the planni of the annual tip report heroes■ki. lastly, i want to express our

gratitude to our partners around the world in government, civil society, and those with lived experience for the strong collaboration in informing the tip report. your insights guide ide our understanding of human trafficking in all its forms abg used to combat and prevent it. again, i invite you to visit o'. thank you again for your commitment and partnership, and please join us for recin the d'. thank you. [appus■8>> guests, please remain■r seated while those on

the stage depart. thank you. >'s washington journal our live forum involving you to issues in government, politics and public policy. from washington, d.c. and across the country. tuesday morning, the nation magazine discusses supreme court opinions expected te, and the pl and political impact. then a usa today columnist talked about this week'debate between president biden and former president trump. anshington journal, 7:00 eastern on tuesday morning

on c-span, c-span now, or online c-span.org. >> c-span has been delivering unfiltered congressional coverage for 45 years. here is a highlight from a key moment. ■z[applause] [applause] >>