Blog
Published on October 28, 2015
By Megdi Abebe
The Hill listed Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino as one of the top lobbyists of 2015, using the term broadly to indicate influence. The publication recognized Massimino for Human Rights First’s role in pushing for closing the detention center in Guantanamo Bay and fighting human trafficking, listing her among other prominent policy workers who have “demonstrated a knack for making things happen.”
Human Rights First’s advocacy for closing Guantanamo was instrumental in securing President Obama’s 2009 executive order promising to shut down the detention center. We are determined to hold the president to that promise, pressing him to veto the recent NDAA that would have prevented him from closing Gitmo.
To combat human trafficking, Human Rights First advocates for policies that would make trafficking more risky and less profitable for perpetrators. Through our Bankrupt Slavery Ambassadors, we bring together survivors, business leaders, government insiders, and NGOs to press for U.S. leadership in the fight against slavery.
The Hill’s recognition of Elisa Massimino as a top lobbyist demonstrates Human Rights First’s influence in Washington as an organization that doesn’t just make noise, but makes a difference. The article notes: “Massimino and her staff have been active on a series of global and domestic human rights issues, such as pushing for the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and rooting out systems that support human trafficking.”
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