Caroline Conway

Support Law Student Caroline Conway fulfill her commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative University by contributing to the Shamantha Campaign Against Sex Trafficking.

The Shamatha Campaign Against Sex Trafficking project seeks to raise awareness of the issue of sex trafficking and provide funds to support survivors.

This project began when Caroline Conway, a 2009 J.D. Candidate at the Suffolk University Law School, helped plan an event which included screening a documentary on sex trafficking, The Day My God Died, as well as holding a dialogue with several leaders of NGO’s to discuss both domestic and international trafficking.

The event was part of a group project for Professor Kate Nace Day’s course, "International Human Rights: AWomen's Model," in Fall 2008.

In November 2008, Caroline applied to the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI) using this past project as a foundation for her proposal of a commitment to action. The Clinton Global Initiative University is a community of action-oriented efforts with the goal of collaboration of students throughout the world to address global challenges. The five main focus areas are Education, Energy & Climate Change, Global Health, Peace & Human Rights, and Poverty Alleviation. The core of the CGI model is the Commitment to Action, which ties the dialogue on global problems with tangible efforts.

In February 2009, Caroline attended the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University and attended workshops and panels geared toward building an organization and empowering women, among other topics.
Speakers included Somaly Mam, President of the Somaly Mam Foundation and President of Acting for Women in Distressing Situations (AEFSIP); Zainab Salbi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Women for Women International; Morgan Spurlock, best known for the documentary Super Size Me; Matthew McConaughey; Natalie Portman; and President Bill Clinton.

At the meeting, Caroline was able to talk with people about what worked for them in their past projects so that she could create a plan for her own commitment. The goal of the Shamatha Campaign Against Sex Trafficking is to coordinate with schools in the greater Boston area to hold events that will include a documentary screening and discussion panel, along with handouts of articles and information about this issue.

A documentary in addition to a panel of speakers is used in order to create a better connection with attendees. The ability to watch women tell their own stories has impacted not just Caroline, but also other viewers who became inspired and motivated to support the cause themselves. Loosely translated from Sanskrit, "shamatha" means "peacefully abiding." Shamatha was chosen for the title of the project because the effort to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking contributes to the larger goal of promoting peace and human rights for everyone.
Women who have been trafficked are rebuilding their lives and finding peace for themselves in the process, and the hope is that this project will motivate others to become involved as well.

Now the plan is being put into action by Caroline and her colleague, Lisa Amanti. They are working together to raise money for advertising and information packets for events, and for NGO's that work with trafficking survivors. For more information or to host an event, please contact Caroline at shamathacast@gmail.com.