10/11/2011
Partners: USAID, MTV Europe Foundation and MTV Networks
The MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) Alliance is a pan-Asian campaign to raise awareness and prevent human trafficking. The partnership between USAID, MTV Europe Foundation and MTV Networks aims to raise awareness about the severity and causes of trafficking through television programming, online content, and live events. By leveraging MTV’s leadership as the world’s largest television network, the alliance is transforming individuals’ views about trafficking and exploitation, and providing a platform for NGOs, governments and others to prevent trafficking and assist victims.
Over half of the world’s estimated 2.5 million trafficked people come from Asia, out of which 56 percent are women and girls. According to the United Nations, Asia is the world’s most vulnerable region for trafficking because of its huge population pyramid, growing urbanisation, and extensive poverty. Young people with few choices and resources are most easily recruited, transported, and received by criminal traffickers who earn over $31 billion every year forcing, defrauding, coercing, or deceiving their victims into sexual or economic exploitation.
Through the MTV EXIT Campaign, MTV Europe Foundation works to maximise the power of MTV Network’s global reach and brand appeal to educate young people on critical social issues such as trafficking and inspire them to action. By promoting awareness of social issues, MTV also increases loyalty and commitment among its advertisers and viewers.
MTV EXIT has produced and launched powerful, cutting-edge multimedia products with Asian celebrities and recording artists to spread the message against human trafficking. Market research has shown that the campaign has helped change attitudes, behaviour, and perceptions in a way that reduces people’s risk of being part of the trafficking chain.
Results
-MTV EXIT programs have reached more than 300 million households in over 25 countries.
-Conservative estimates suggest that MTV EXIT programs have been watched over 20 million times.
-More than 300,000 people have attended MTV EXIT’s live music events throughout Asia.
-MTV EXIT has resulted in greater collaboration among non-govern¬mental organizations and govern¬ments by providing a highly visible platform for their anti-trafficking efforts.