By JoAnne Wadsworth, Communications Consultant, G20 Interfaith Forum
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At the historic G20 Social Summit in Johannesburg, Kevin Hyland and Duncan Jepson—both active members of IF20’s Working Group on Human Trafficking—launched the Modern Slavery Prevention Index (MSPI), a groundbreaking platform created by Praeveni Global that tracks how governments worldwide are working to prevent exploitation and modern slavery. The Index arrives at a significant moment: 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of both the UN Palermo Protocol against Transnational Organized Crime and the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), two landmark frameworks that have shaped global anti-trafficking efforts for a generation.
The MSPI provides unprecedented transparency into governmental commitments by examining national plans and strategies, policy objectives, implementation activities, and resource allocation across G20 and other countries. The platform addresses a critical gap: while many nations have developed anti-trafficking frameworks over the past 25 years, there has been limited systematic analysis of how comprehensively governments are implementing prevention measures, how much funding they’re dedicating to these efforts, and what impacts they’re actually achieving.
Key Findings Reveal Systemic Challenges
The Index’s initial analysis reveals several concerning patterns in the global response to modern slavery. Funding sources are highly asymmetric across countries, with information on dedicated budgets, implementation progress, and measurable impact often undisclosed or unspecified within parent government agencies. Few countries produce annual reports on their anti-trafficking efforts, making accountability difficult. The platform also identifies the limitations of the traditional “3Ps” framework (prosecution, protection, prevention), noting that many critical challenges and activities are rarely mentioned in national plans and strategies. Perhaps most troubling, the analysis finds that overall funding remains insufficient and spread too thinly across competing priorities, undermining the effectiveness of prevention efforts.
A Tool for Advocacy and Accountability
By making this information publicly available and continuously updated, Praeveni Global is creating an essential resource for advocacy organizations, faith communities, and civil society to hold governments accountable and push for more comprehensive, better-funded approaches to preventing exploitation. The platform’s focus on prevention rather than just prosecution and protection represents a critical shift—addressing the root causes and systemic vulnerabilities that make exploitation possible in the first place.
IF20’s Continued Commitment
The launch of the MSPI demonstrates the vital role that IF20 network members play in developing evidence-based policy tools that can drive meaningful change at the international level. IF20’s Working Group on Human Trafficking is a partnership between the G20 Interfaith Forum and Praeveni Global, with Kevin Hyland serving as Chair, Frederick W. Axelgard as Vice Chair, and Duncan Jepson as Secretary. The working group has contributed significantly to IF20’s policy development on modern slavery and exploitation. As we move beyond the 25th anniversary of the foundational international frameworks against trafficking, IF20’s Human Trafficking working group remains committed to advancing comprehensive prevention strategies, advocating for adequate resources, and ensuring that faith voices continue to speak prophetically against all forms of human exploitation. The MSPI will serve as an important tool in this ongoing work, providing the data and analysis needed to transform moral conviction into concrete policy progress.
For more information about the Modern Slavery Prevention Index, visit the link for detailed country analyses and ongoing updates on governmental prevention efforts worldwide.
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JoAnne Wadsworth is a Communications Consultant for the G20 Interfaith Association and acting editor of the “Viewpoints” blog.