Nominations open for Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards 2025

The SATAs are administered by Arise, The International Union of Superiors General, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (‘Host Organizations’).

The SATAs are an opportunity:

• To make the phenomenal work of Catholic Sisters (‘Sisters’) on the frontlines against trafficking known;
• To share knowledge and foster anti-trafficking efforts between congregations;
• To broaden and deepen the protection of communities vulnerable to trafficking worldwide.

Awards Categories

• The Common Good Award – Despite adverse conditions and sometimes scarce resources, sisters’ resourcefulness and dedication are leading to effective and sustainable work against trafficking across the world. This award winner will have demonstrated creativity and courage in their anti-trafficking interventions.
• The Servant Leadership Award – Embedded in their communities, sisters are often uniquely placed to lead through service and develop long-term anti-trafficking systems and networks. This award winner will have contributed to the growth of such networks, and have facilitated collaboration across cultures and religions.
• The Human Dignity Award – The effectiveness of sisters’ anti-trafficking work is often due to their familiarity with local customs and vulnerabilities, and the trust they have from local communities. This award winner will have a proven record of effective anti-slavery work over a period of fifteen or more years.

Prize Information

• All three award winners will be awarded USD $20,000 each, which can be pledged by the laureates to charitable organizations of their choosing. The prize money will be handled by UISG.

Eligibility Criteria

• For all three awards, laureates must:
  • Be a religious Sister whose work is supported by the leader of her Congregation and who has worked or is still working on the local level against human trafficking and exploitation (anywhere in the world);
  • Be a recognized advocate of human dignity, addressing the root causes of human trafficking;
  • Have proven that their way of working and collaborating is based on partnership, networking, and dialogue.
• Nominees can be located anywhere in the world, and nominators will be required to state their relationship to the nominee.
• The Human Dignity Award will be won by a sister with at least fifteen years of anti-trafficking work.
• Who can nominate?
  • Any individual or organization may nominate through the online nomination form, available in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French.
  • Nominations from the host organizations’ staff or boards (Arise, UISG and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation) will not be accepted.
• Who can be nominated?
  • The nominee must be a sister or a sister-led organization (who can be represented at the SATAs by a sister) undertaking frontline anti-trafficking work.
  • Self-nominations will not be accepted.
  • Directors, officers, and employees of the host organizations (Arise, UISG and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation) cannot be nominated.
  • Nominees can only be entered for one award.

For more information, visit Arise.