About

Pathfinders Justice Initiative, Inc.® (PJI) is an international non-government organization dedicated to the prevention of modern-day sex slavery (sex trafficking) and liberation of enslaved women and girls through the direct eradication of root causes. We currently work in Nigeria and with Nigerian survivors globally to build a best practices model for the world. We are a New York State 501(c)(3) non-profit and registered as an NGO with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria, West Africa.

About The Founder/Board of Directors

R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, the founder and Executive Director of PJI, is a Nigerian native and a leading expert on the subject of modern day slavery in sub-Saharan Africa. She is also a trained English Barrister and an American lawyer who worked as a partner in a defense law firm in New York for over a decade before resigning to venture full time into activism on behalf of women and girls. As a native of a developing country, Ms. Benson-Idahosa is particularly passionate about addressing the shrouded issues of sex trafficking (modern day sex slavery) and gender based violence due to her compelling commitment to the liberation of women in developing countries. Her passion and compassion are geared towards developing a generation of women who stand confident in who they are, what they bring to the table and what they can achieve. She is a firm believer that if you can empower a woman and engage men as allies for gender justice, you can change any society. Ms. Benson-Idahosa is a dynamic speaker, an ‘outside the box’ trainer/facilitator and a published writer whose voice amplifies thousands of young voices via PathFinders’ campaigns. She also lends her expertise as an advisor/consultant to organizations as well as state, national and international governments on the issues of sex trafficking and gender based violence. (She currently serves as a consultant to Nigeria’s Parliament, the UK Home Office (via its Modern Slavery Project) and the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Trafficking and has previously consulted for the Edo State Government, Nigeria.) In addition, Ms. Benson-Idahosa has appeared on multiple news and media outlets including CNN, CNNi, BBC, Al Jazeera, CCTV-America, ABC, NBC, SiriusXM Radio, Channels Television and The Huffington Post LIVE and has been named one of New York’s New Abolitionists (www.newyorksnewabolitionists.com). Ms. Benson-Idahosa, a regular Huffington Post blogger, has advocated for the rescue and rehabilitation of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi Girls of Nigeria, is a 2018 TEDx speaker, a 2018 ‘The Platform’ speaker, a 2017 Vital Voices Global Freedom Exchange Fellow, a 2016 United States White House State of Women “Nominated Changemaker” and been nationally recognized for her efforts in seeking an end to gender based violence in the developing world. Click here for our speaker/training request form or email her at reidahosa@pathfindersji.org.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to prevent modern-day sex slavery (sex trafficking) and liberate enslaved women and girls through the direct eradication of root causes.

OUR VISION

Via its implemented initiatives, PJI envisions a world where a fundamental change of human consciousness eliminates the demoralization and subjugation of women and girls and results in their empowerment, in gender equity and in social transformation.

OUR CORE VALUES

Our Core Values are Compassion, Accountability, Empowerment and Community Transformation.

Compassion

PJI believes that the sexual exploitation of women and girls amounts to a violation of their fundamental human rights. As such, the liberation of women and girls is the primary compass that guides PJI. PJI reaches beyond pity into the realm of Compassion, as we believe that neither one’s gender nor place of birth should determine or limit human rights or opportunities.

Accountability

Through lobbying and advocacy, PJI demands accountability from both government and non-government institutions which are tasked to protect survivors of gender based violence by compelling them to act on behalf of survivors. PJI works arm in arm with these institutions to provide the necessary training and qualitative and quantitative data which best sets them on course for the successful prosecution of perpetrators and the protection of survivors.

Empowerment

PJI believes that empowerment and education are powerful accelerators out of poverty, a factor that often forces the women we serve to view prostitution as an alternative. As such, we strive to empower and educate marginalized young women so that they are awakened to additional viable possibilities. Via customized survivor-centered interventions, female survivors of violence and sex abuse receive free medical, counseling and legal services as well as vocational skills and financial literacy training, start up business capital, job placement and/or education scholarships. Perpetrators are also offered rehabilitation/counseling on a voluntary basis.

Community Transformation

PJI believes that lasting change only comes through partnering with local communities in community transformation. Through the TruthTellers arm of the organization, community awareness of the issues is raised and local communities are urged to partner with PJI in mass mobilization efforts to effect sustained change.

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