On April 8th, 2025, I had the honor of joining the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking  at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City  for the launch of our first report. This moment marked a powerful step forward in our shared mission to expose and end the systems that allow modern slavery and human trafficking to persist. During the launch, commissioners, survivors, and contributors came together to share key findings and personal reflections on

On March 26th, I had the honor of joining IPI and Grace Farms  to co-host the second Art for Peace  event — an evening that celebrated art as a bridge between empowerment, healing, and peace. That night, I debuted The Veil , a textile-based wearable art piece created from second-hand doilies delicate works traditionally handmade by women for table settings. To me, these doilies represent the idea of a table for peace   a place where we come together with respect, dignity, an

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of cultivating a meaningful relationship with the International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT)   a collaboration that has deepened my understanding of how intergenerational trauma  connects to the cycles of poverty and exploitation we work to end through Empowerment Collective . Together, we’ve explored how healing and justice must go hand in hand if we are to truly break the systemic chains of modern slaver

On July 15th , I had the honor of representing Empowerment Collective  at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City  for a side event of the UNDP Finance Against Slavery & Trafficking (FAST) 2025 High-Level Political Forum : “Innovative Digital and Sustainable Finance for Preventing and Addressing Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.” This gathering brought together financial sector leaders, survivor advocates, civil society organizations, and digital innovators  to e

Nasreen Sheikh with HRH Princess Eugenie  at Goal House. I recently had the honor of speaking at an event hosted by The Anti-Slavery Collective , in partnership with UNGA Goals House , focused on the urgent and often hidden issue of counterfeit fashion . This booming market drives a web of exploitation that harms both people and the planet — from forced labor and child exploitation to human trafficking . The supply chains behind these goods are often hidden in plain sight, a

Nasreen Sheikh explaining TransparaTrade initiative to Yale University students. On Wednesday, September 10th , I had the honor of speaking at Yale University , joining leading voices confronting the harsh realities of what is often called modern slavery  in today’s global fashion supply chains. The event brought together a powerful panel moderated by Michelle Gabriel , Yale lecturer, with myself and Dr. Sanchita Banerjee Saxena , social scientist and Faculty Fellow at the In

This September 2025, I joined the Design for Freedom Working Group , convened by Grace Farms . This initiative brings together 100 groundbreaking leaders  from across industries who are committed to transforming design and construction supply chains. As a member of the group, I contribute both survivor leadership  and textiles industry experience  to a critical dialogue about eliminating forced labor and advancing ethical, transparent practices in the built environment. Toget

I invite you to join us with Empowerment Collective on November 28th at 11:00 AM EST for our first annual Global Day of Prayer to End Modern Slavery Now! On Black Friday, Empowerment Collective will host this powerful virtual gathering in collaboration with interfaith spiritual voices, survivor leaders, and global experts as they share innovative solutions reshaping the future of human dignity. Together, we will pray for the 50 million people still trapped in modern slavery

Nasreen Sheikh At Vatican with Talitha Kum. Recently, I had the incredible honor of attending the Talitha Kum 15-year anniversary event in Rome, Italy, as a speaker. This event was dedicated to ending human trafficking, and it was a truly moving experience. What is Talitha Kum? Talitha Kum is the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking. It was formally established in 2009 by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) to combat human traffi

Last week, I had the profound honor of speaking at the Freedom Fund 10 anniversary event in London, a gathering that not only marked an...

Discovering Emma Seppälä’s book "Sovereign" was not just enlightening—it felt like finding a guide at a time when I needed it most. As a...

Credits @jacekdolatastudio I recently had the profound honour of closing the Design for Freedom Summit at Grace Farms. With over 550...

Namaste Everyone, A Journey of Hope and Resilience Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8th, 2024, brings me back to 2008 when...

Recently, I was very honored to join the UK Embassy in Kathmandu. A big thank you to Sally Duncan, Kirti Thapa, and others. Sharing...

As we stand on the begging of 2024, I am so excited to share with you all my reflection on 2023 looking back at the journey we've cross,...

#LocalWomensHandicrafts Nasreen Sheikh's journey from a survivor of modern slavery to a global advocate and social entrepreneur is...

#NasreenSheikhSurvivor Nasreen Sheikh's compelling testimony as a survivor of modern slavery is a sobering reminder of the pervasive...

#EmpowermentCollective Empowerment Collective, founded by the remarkable Nasreen Sheikh, a survivor of modern slavery, stands as a symbol...