Yes She Matters: Advancing Survivor Advocacy in Southeast Asia with Global Alms Incorporated

In Southeast Asia, survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking often face overwhelming barriers when seeking justice, ranging from fear of retaliation to systemic gaps in legal protection. For many, navigating police systems and courtrooms is retraumatising and isolating. That’s where Yes She Matters, a client centered, survivor-led advocacy project of Global Alms Incorporated, plays a transformative role.

GAI - Press Release - Yes She Matters Advancing Survivor Advocacy in Southeast Asia with G.

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A client (minor) who survived Gender Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons for Forced Criminality with Yes She Matters Case Advocates.

From Survivor to Advocate: Leadership Through Lived Experience

Founded by survivor and advocate Mechelle B.J. Moore, the initiative ensures that survivors are not just recipients of support, but leaders in shaping advocacy, services, and systems. This approach prioritises survivor agency, dignity, and empowerment, transforming traditional models of care into ones that are guided by the voices and leadership of those most affected.

At its core, Yes She Matters is a survivor-led movement grounded in lived experience and driven by the belief that those who have endured violence and exploitation are best positioned to lead change.

Yes She Matters provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive advocacy for women and girls affected by violence and exploitation. Based in Thailand and active across the region, the project offers holistic support from the moment a survivor seeks assistance, guiding them through every step of the legal and recovery process with compassion, dignity, and expert care.

Survivor Empowerment: Redefining Advocacy in Southeast Asia

Despite increasing regional efforts to combat human trafficking and gender-based violence, survivors often face:

• Language barriers and limited access to interpreters;

• Stigma and fear associated with reporting crimes;

• Limited legal literacy, especially among migrant or stateless survivors; and

• Inconsistent support from law enforcement and judicial personnel.

In this landscape, advocacy is not just helpful, it is essential.

What Survivor Advocacy Looks Like

Advocates from the Yes She Matters project:

• Prepare survivors for what to expect when reporting to authorities;

• Accompany them to formal interviews and court hearings;

• Ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate communication;

• Help survivors understand their rights and make informed decisions; and

• Offer consistent, trauma-informed emotional support.

These services are particularly critical in cross-border trafficking cases or when survivors face re-traumatisation due to institutional insensitivity.

Supporting a client (minor) during medical testing while in Mae Sot General Hospital.

Changing Systems by Centering Survivors

Through Yes She Matters, Global Alms Incorporated is working not only to support individuals, but to change how systems respond to survivors. This includes:

• Conducting training for police, legal professionals, and service providers on trauma-informed and survivor-sensitive practices;

• Building multi-agency partnerships to improve case outcomes; and

• Elevating the voices and leadership of survivors in shaping policy and service design.

Their work contributes to a growing regional movement toward more just, compassionate systems of accountability.

Join the Movement

As Yes She Matters continues to advocate for justice and healing in Southeast Asia, you can support this critical work by:

• Donating to Global Alms Incorporated and its advocacy initiatives;

• Sharing survivor-centered stories and resources; and

• Advocating for legal reforms and systemic protections.

Because when she matters, justice becomes possible.