Survivor-Leader| Advocate for a Transparent Global Economic System
Nasreen Sheikh is an internationally recognized human rights activist, multimedia artist, social entrepreneur, and one of the most influential voices in the global movement to end modern slavery. Born in a remote village on the border of India and Nepal, she survived child labor, forced marriage, and extreme poverty. Today, she transforms her lived experience into a powerful force for systemic change.
She is the founder of the Empowerment Collective, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ending modern slavery in our lifetime; Local Women’s Handicrafts (LWH), a social enterprise in Nepal that empowers marginalized women through traditional craftsmanship; and leader of the End Modern Slavery Now movement, which unites people worldwide each March 8th and hosts the annual Global Prayer Day on Black Friday to honor survivors and promote conscious consumption.
A visionary advocate for a transparent global economic system, Nasreen champions supply chain transparency, corporate accountability, and modern slavery legislation. Her groundbreaking TransparaTrade™ initiative offers a blueprint for ethical commerce enabling consumers, businesses, and policymakers to trace supply chains, enforce human rights, and drive lasting reform.
Her message has reached millions through high-profile speeches, global media features, and advocacy campaigns. She has addressed the United Nations, the European Union, and major corporations such as Google and Amazon, while engaging with world figures including Gloria Steinem and Pope Francis.
Nasreen’s mission is rooted in a singular vision: that every child born on Earth should be guaranteed the 7 Keys of Inalienable Human Rights rights that ensure freedom, dignity, and opportunity for all.
A Short Timeline - A Long Journey
First known photo of Nasreen Sheikh
I come from an undocumented rural village called Rajura, located on the border of India and Nepal. I don’t know my surname or exact birthdate because in my village, births are not recorded. Growing up, I witnessed many atrocities against women and children, often for just speaking their truth. When I saw my 12-year-old big sister being forced into marriage, I knew I would be next. My life seemed destined for the same oppressive path.
With the help of my male cousin, I traveled to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. In my village, sending children to work in a factory was a normal experience. At around ten years old, I became a child laborer at a textile factory in Kathmandu. I worked like a machine for 12-15 hours a day to complete the mountain of garments the manager put in front of me. The sweatshop operated for two years before it shut down. I chose to become a street kid, while others went to another sweatshop. Help came in the form of a gentle dog that led me to his kind guardian, Leslie John, who became my teacher for almost 10 years.
Nasreen Sheikh after escaping modern slavery.
Under his mentorship, I learned how to read, write, and understand basic human rights. Leslie John gave me the surname 'Sheikh' and helped me apply for a birth certificate. Despite a reluctant bureaucracy, it took 10 years to issue, and even then, it was riddled with spelling mistakes and date discrepancies.
Nasreen Sheikh with Leslie Saint John
In Kathmandu, I saw women with deep trauma in their eyes and emptiness in their malnourished bodies. Determined to empower them, at the age of 16, I managed to secure a loan to set up the first social business in Kathmandu—Local Women's Handicrafts. We began breaking the rules of oppression in a country where only a few percent of women were business owners. In the heart of Kathmandu, surrounded by businesses built on modern-day slavery, we became free from the cycle of poverty, and I was becoming a social entrepreneur.
Nasreen works an embroidery machine
In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shattered Kathmandu, Nepal. This presented a new challenge to our organization. I realized that my fight was not just for economic empowerment but for human rights on a global scale. It was a call to action that could not be ignored, leading me to raise my voice beyond the borders of Nepal. Stepping onto the global stage as a TEDx speaker in the US, I truly understood the global impact of modern slavery in the forms of extreme poverty, forced marriage, and forced labor.
Nasreen at the LWH shop Kathmandu
As I traveled the world sharing my story, I conversed with some of the most influential leaders in the world of business, politics, and faith. In these dialogues, I recognized a stark gap between those seeking to end modern slavery and those who had lived through it. This realization solidified my belief that true change in the fight against modern slavery will not be spearheaded by celebrities or power figures but by the survivors themselves, whose lived experiences are building a path towards genuine solutions.
Nasreen speaking to the European Union
The silent voices of these women inspired me to found the Empowerment Collective, an organization where survivors can lead, grow, and heal. I have dedicated myself to promoting a transparent global economic system, supporting modern slavery legislation, and envisioning a future where every child on Earth is guaranteed seven key inalienable human rights: clean water, food, housing, education, healthcare, access to technology, and pristine nature.
Nasreen working on the ground
