Rani Hong

Rani Hong

Visionary Human Rights Advocate | Social Entrepreneur


Visionary Human Rights Advocate | Social Entrepreneur

Rani Hong is an Indian-American social entrepreneur and a survivor of child trafficking. She is one of the world’s leading voices in the fight against modern-day slavery.

At the age of seven, Rani was stolen from her mom and sold into the slave trade in India. By age eight, her physical condition and emotional state were so dire that she was near death. No longer of any value to her slave owner, she was sold into illegal adoption. Rani was adopted into a stable American home in Washington State, where she began to find healing and a sense of personal freedom. She was finally reunited with her mother in 1999 and began her advocacy work against child trafficking.

In 2006, Rani started her philanthropic work and founded the Tronie Foundation, a non-profit global organization focused on driving awareness of child slavery, with her husband Trong Hong, also a survivor of child trafficking.

Since 1999, Rani has advised many governments, and has been at the forefront of an international effort to protect women and girls. Her most recent focus has been to eradicate the use of slave labor in all aspects of business. She has worked on behalf of people at risk of exploitation – protecting and empowering vulnerable groups and educating businesses and consumers about modern day slavery.

Rani’s tireless efforts include over several speeches before the UN General Assembly and have met with various world leaders. Including Presidents of the world. In 2011 Rani was appointed by the UN as a special advisor to the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, helping to establish the Sustainable Development Goal 8, and establishing the first ever World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Rani has appeared in numerous broadcast and media interviews including The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, BBC, Euro News and other international media. On November 6th, 2017 Rani joined the Press Office of the Holy See to ask for concrete action against human trafficking, in which over 25 journalists helped carry her message around the world and speak for those without a voice. In 2018, Rani was named Women of the Year for her home country of India.

As a social entrepreneur, Rani created the Freedom Seal, a certification for companies fighting against Human Slavery by committing to mitigate Financial Crime & Modern Slavery. The Freedom Seal symbolizes a future marketplace where forced-labor has been reduced. It represents a dream come true for the estimated 40.3 million people, mostly children and women, still trapped in slavery.

As the world’s first visual marker companies, can use the Freedom Seal, to clearly communicate to consumers they are actively taking steps to prevent forced labor and human trafficking in their supply chains and avoid any kind of Reputational Risk or Damage.

Rani spoke at the Vatican on the effects of human trafficking on sustainability efforts and inspired a new wave of international corporations and world leaders to fight against modern-day slavery. With this, His Holiness Pope Francis has endorsed the Freedom Seal to help companies to be inspired and take global action against forced labor in their supply chains. Through her work with the Freedom Seal and through leading publications, she has inspired a community of 22,000 CEOs in 125 countries – representing over $6 trillion in spending.

Today, Rani dedicates her time and energy to efforts that lead toward a greater global understanding about human trafficking and continues to speak for those without a voice and for those who are imprisoned, enslaved and silenced, and unable to tell their own stories.

Rani’s ability to overcome trauma, loss and grief has inspired leaders from all over the world to join the global movement against human trafficking.

Rani lives in Olympia, Washington USA with her husband and children.

Jennifer Moreau-Chick
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