Lessons from IJM’s Whole-Systems Approach to Eradicating Modern Slavery

What does it take to confront a problem as complex and entrenched as modern slavery? Across Asia-Pacific, an estimated 15 million people live in modern slavery often taking the form of of forced labour, human trafficking, and online exploitation among many others. 

In this episode, AVPN Academy speaks with Rae Lee and Sinni Lim from International Justice Mission (IJM), an organisation with nearly three decades of experience working to protect people from violence and exploitation. They reflect on how IJM has approached this wicked problem through systems-level work — including a six-dimensional, experience-based model that engages survivors, legal systems, and communities in creating long-term change.

Together, they explore how this model has been applied across contexts, and how IJM continues to grapple with challenges such as replicability, measurement, and sustained cross-sector collaboration. The conversation also touches on the role of values — and, in some contexts, faith — in anchoring this work, and offers reflections for those navigating similarly complex social challenges.

To learn more about AVPN's ongoing Faith and Giving initiative, which builds an inclusive space for faith and non-faith actors to collectively drive impact, click here: https://avpn.asia/capital-for-impact/faith-and-giving/