Laws, policies, and official reports discuss the topic of modern slavery. But there is another side of the story that can be more difficult to capture: What is actually happening to people on the ground?
A new global survey is giving NGOs, civil society organizations, and survivor leaders the opportunity to share their stories of how governments are responding to modern slavery. In January 2026, Walk Free will launch its Government Response Survey, which will feature in the organization’s upcoming 2027 Global Slavery Index.
The survey aims to go beyond what governments say they are doing and ask how those commitments are being felt in communities.
Why NGO voices matter
Have you ever wondered how governments combat modern slavery? They are central to preventing slavery and exploitation, protecting survivors and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice. But you might ask, “How do they do this?” They do it through passing laws, reinforcing labor rights and protections, supporting survivor services, and investing in prevention efforts.
But just because a policy exists doesn’t necessarily mean it is working for the people it aims to help.
This is where civil society and NGOs come in. Civil society organizations deal with the ground-level realities of forced labor, human trafficking, exploitation, migration vulnerabilities, and other forms of modern slavery. NGOs often observe information that isn’t immediately visible in official government reports and statistics.
For example, an organization working with at-risk workers can see whether and how people are able to access support services; a group working with human trafficking survivors can identify barriers or shortcomings in protection mechanisms; an NGO working with migrants can point out where government policies aren’t yet aligned to the realities on the ground.
This survey will help us paint a more comprehensive picture of government action.
What is the survey looking at?
Walk Free says the survey will examine government responses to modern slavery since 31 August 2022.
This includes areas such as protecting and supporting survivors, strengthening legal frameworks, and preventing exploitation.
Rather than looking only at whether a country has introduced particular laws or policies, the survey aims to understand how those measures are working in practice.
That distinction is important.
A government may have legislation designed to combat trafficking or forced labor, but implementation can still face challenges. People may struggle to report exploitation, support services may not reach everyone who needs them, or enforcement may not be strong enough.
NGOs working directly with affected communities can provide valuable information about these gaps.
Bringing lived experience into global research
Have you ever thought about the deep root of modern slavery? Well, the thing is that the most important part of the survey is to bring insights from the organizations and people working directly with this problem. Because this is not only a social, economic, or legal issue. But this is a human issue, and it always varies a lot depending on people’s different living circumstances, working status, migrant status, access to support…
With input from civil society and survivors, researchers will better understand these distinctions. Walk Free feels that the data collected will inform its assessment of government responses in the 2027 Global Slavery Index, which assesses nations’ practices over the past five years. That means that if you’re an NGO working in human rights, migrant rights, slave labor, or survivor rights, this is your chance.
From policy to real-world action
Ever wondered why it is so difficult to eradicate modern slavery? There is a disconnect between what governments say they will do and what they actually do in reality. Laws may give legal protections, but people need to know what they are in the first place.
Even if reporting mechanisms are in place, do people feel safe enough to report?
Support services may be made available, but are they accessible to those who need them most?
What can you do? Civil society’s experiences are key. Civil society organizations are usually in direct contact with the communities in which government programs are intended to operate. It is these organizations’ experiences that tell us what is working, what isn’t, and where there needs to be more focus.
This survey is much more than just gathering data—it is your opportunity to place experiences of civil society at the heart of an international conversation around accountability.
A chance for NGOs to be heard
For many NGOs, contributing to international research can be difficult because they are already dealing with limited staff, funding pressures, and demanding programs.
Walk Free says the Government Response Survey takes around 35 minutes to complete. Participants can choose whether their responses are attributed to their organization or submitted anonymously. The organization also says that identifying information will remain confidential and will not be shared externally.
For organizations working directly on modern slavery-related issues, participation could provide an opportunity to document experiences that might otherwise remain outside official assessments.
Why this matters beyond the survey
Modern slavery can take many forms, including forced labor and forced marriage, and addressing it requires more than one organization or one government department.
Governments, NGOs, survivor organizations, businesses, workers’ groups, and international organizations all have different roles to play.
Research such as the Government Response Survey can help connect these perspectives. When government policies are examined alongside the experiences of civil society and survivors, it becomes easier to see the difference between a commitment being announced and a protection actually reaching the people who need it.
Ultimately, tackling modern slavery is not only about creating stronger policies. It is about making sure those policies work in real communities.
And the organizations already working with vulnerable people have an important part to play in explaining what that reality looks like.
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The bigger picture for NGOs
Have you wondered what more NGOs could do aside from delivering their projects? Dear NGO, you may have been prodded into action by this survey, but believe me, we need your insight for research, to make policy, and to improve accountability. Your in-field knowledge counts.
As governments around the world write their plans to tackle modern slavery, the key is for them to take on board the voices of the organizations working on the ground, such as yours, so that it’s not just about new laws or new policies, but real change for people.
Here’s the deal: this is a version that has a bit of that everyday, fun tone that NGOs are used to. It’s not a matter of which government is more right or wrong—it’s about what this survey is measuring and what your opinions are really asking about.
