Hagar International is a Swiss-based global humanitarian

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

offering services and assistance to people who have escaped

sexual slavery Sexual slavery and sexual exploitation is an attachment of any ownership rights, right over one or more people with the intent of Coercion, coercing or otherwise forcing them to engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activities. This include ...

and/or

human trafficking Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extrac ...

. It is focused on helping victims with recovery, and was founded in Cambodia in 1994 by Pierre Tami. Hagar started providing services to Afghanistan and Vietnam in 2009. It expanded to Myanmar in 2014. Hagar International has been noted for working with male victims in addition to women and children. A main goal is to help victims achieve stability and financial independence though skill-based training and job opportunity programs. Hagar International recommends an ongoing process which starts with the victim, then the victim's family, and finally helps integrate them into the community. The organization often works directly with local and federal governments to improve social services. Several children from their special "catch-up" schools have been able to graduate and go to university. They have a legal protection unit, which was established in 2011, and helps provide legal services and representation in court. Hagar International was named after the biblical character

Hagar Hagar, of uncertain origin; ar, هَاجَر, Hājar; grc, Ἁγάρ, Hagár; la, Agar is a biblical woman. According to the Book of Genesis, she was an Egyptian slave, a handmaiden of Sarah (then known as ''Sarai''), whom Sarah gave to he ...

from the

Book of Genesis The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning") ...

16–21. Hagar, a slave, had a child with her master Abraham because his wife Sarai could not bear him any children. After having a child, she began to despise her mistress Sarai, who mistreated her in turn. Hagar ran away, but was told by God to return. Some years later, she was again sent away by her mistress with her child Ishmael to wander in the wilderness. HAGAR is committed to providing sanctuary and hope to women and children like Hagar and Ishmael, walking the whole journey with each one.

References

{{Sex trafficking in Southeast Asia, state=collapsed Non-profit organisations based in Cambodia International non-profit organizations Hagar