Ruth Freedom Pojman is an international expert with twenty years of experience working on anti-trafficking, conflict management, forced labor, gender, human rights, migration, anti-corruption and illicit trade issues, especially from an economic perspective. She has advised businesses and governments, as well as international and civil society organizations.

She currently works as a consultant for:

1) DevTech Systems evaluation of the US Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons’ National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Efforts with the primary objective of a) to assess the extent to which a sample of interventions funded by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking’s (TIP Office) International Programs (IP) have contributed to the development and/or implementation of NRMs, b) to identify the different approaches taken to the development of NRM systems, c) to evaluate successes, challenges and promising practices within NRM systems funded by the TIP Office and others, d) to identify under what conditions the most successful NRMs have so far developed, and e) to create decision-making tools (e.g. country readiness checklists) to help the TIP Office program more effective NRM systems.

2) International Labour Organization (ILO) Fundamentals Office. She has also co-developed a global guide on the reintegration of victims of forced labour through skills development and lifelong learning, conducted E-learning on prevention of forced labor and reintegration of victims of Fl through skills development and employability, and a self- assessment of the Uzbekistan government’s system of protection and support to labour migrants and victims of forced labour/human trafficking.

3) The Millennium Challenge Corporation Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) activity to assess labor and sustainability risks within large infrastructure projects such as: Agriculture (e.g., agricultural production, agricultural supply chains, irrigation systems, processing facilities); Education; Energy and electricity/power projects; Port facilities; Road building and Transportation; Water (wastewater treatment facilities, dams and reservoir), etc. and to conduct capacity building of contractors.

4) University of Chicago NORC’s situational analysis on trafficking in persons (TIP) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for USAID/DRG-LER to assess the prevalence and types of TIP, regional trends, knowledge of TIP by government officials, and local capabilities to address TIP in the DRC.

5) US institute of Peace: drafted E-learning modules on conflict management, and regional modules on countries as well as on conflicts in Europe and Eurasia.

Pojman serves on several Advisory Boards and Steering Committees, is a mentor to students, and as an OSCE/ODIHR Election Observer. For example, she is a founding board member of the Rotary Club Vienna Maria Theresia Board and serves on the Global Advisory Group to Humanity United’s (E-Bay foundation) Portfolio on Forced Labour and Human Trafficking. She also serves on the Steering Committee of Your Public Value.

For a decade, Pojman was the Deputy Coordinator and Senior Advisor, OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB). There she worked with the Special Representative to support the 57 participating States of the OSCE on the implementation of international instruments and commitments, through country visits, conferences, capacity building, research, legal and policy level analysis and recommendations. She led the Office’s work on issues relating to the application of principles of due diligence and transparency in addressing risks of exploitation throughout supply chains, to encourage governments to harmonize national standards, including on ethical sourcing in public procurement. She directed the publication Model Guidelines on Government Measures to Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings in Supply Chains as well as its companion Compendium of Resources. She also co-organized the first event on leveraging anti-money laundering regimes to combat human trafficking.

From 2002-2008, she served as a Senior Advisor at the Europe and Eurasia (E&E) Bureau, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) advancing sound policies and programs to combat trafficking in persons in the E&E region, both within the USG, and with key counterparts such as NATO on a zero tolerance policy.

She worked on the ground in Central Asia: for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Central Asia where she was responsible for migration policy, border control and management issues, as well as anti-trafficking, while she was based in the Kyrgyz Republic and also covered Uzbekistan; for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia on raising awareness of and capacity on refugee, political asylum and tolerance issues.

She worked in the private sector in media relations for Mobil Oil in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and for Delta Airlines, Washington D.C. On the non-governmental side, she worked on the development of civil society initiatives addressing a wide range of issues (environment, gender, disabilities, media, children and youth) for World Learning, and in conflict resolution through citizen diplomacy.

She was a co-founder and Eurasia Editor of the journal Demokratizatsiya, which is now housed at the George Washington University. Pojman has an M.A. in International Affairs, with a focus on Russian and Central Eurasian Studies, from The American University. She received certificates from the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) in Vienna, and in Documentary Film from the George Washington University. She has contributed to documentary and independent films on human trafficking, organized crime and migration.