The It’s a Penalty Campaign uses sport as a platform to educate and empower the public to recognise and report signs of human trafficking

Switzerland – June 25, 2025 In the lead-up to the UEFA Women’s EURO2025, It’s a Penalty has officially launched a multiplatform Human Trafficking Prevention campaign uniting high profile footballers, leading travel and hospitality brands, and NGOs to raise awareness and drive action against human trafficking. Timed to coincide with the UEFA Women’s EURO tournament (2–27 July), the campaign will run from June through August, reaching millions across Switzerland and Europe. The campaign aims to educate, equip, and empower the public to recognise and report signs of exploitation.

Footballers stand against human trafficking

Seven elite footballers – each representing a nation participating in the UEFA Women’s EURO – have come together to raise awareness about human trafficking. The campaign ambassadors are:

Seraina Piubel (Switzerland), Melvine Malard (France), Jill Roord (Netherlands), Jess Fishlock (Wales), Mary Earps (England), Celin Bizet Ildhusøy (Norway) and Leila Ouahabi (Spain).

Human trafficking is a serious global problem and it’s happening in Europe too, all year round. Everyone deserves to live free and safe. I’m proud to be working with It’s a Penalty ahead of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 to raise awareness across Europe. It’s up to all of us to speak out, take action, and help create a world where no one is exploited.

– Leila Ouahabi – Spain National Team/Manchester City

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking involves exploiting a person through force, fraud or coercion for profit, a human rights violation affecting individuals of every age, gender, race, and nationality. It’s the fastest growing & second largest criminal industry in the world and shows no signs of slowing down. According to the ILO, an estimated 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery, worldwide, with increasing prevalence across Europe.

Due to its hidden nature, the full scope and scale of human trafficking is difficult to measure – but its impact is widespread and devastating.

Campaign Partners

The campaign brings together a powerful coalition of organisations committed to taking action against human trafficking, including; Headline Partner Booking.com, Supporting Partners Accor, Uber, American Airlines and Sysdoc, Friends Level Partner British Embassy Berne, Spotlight Partner Border Force, as well as Local Partner NGOs FIZ Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Frauenmigration, Platform Traite, and La Strada International.

“Collaborating with It’s a Penalty is key to raising further awareness of human trafficking with our accommodation partners, empowering them to quickly recognize the signs and to loop in the relevant authorities to take action. This partnership is an important amplifier of our commitment to addressing modern slavery risks throughout the travel value chain and with all our partners,”

Femi Thomas, Chief Compliance Officer at Booking.com.

Campaign activities include:

• A 30 second awareness video featuring the campaign ambassadors screened across British Airways and KLM flights
• Digital signage within airport terminals and key transport hubs across Europe
• Educational resources and staff training provided to Booking.com and Accor to help identify trafficking in hotels and properties
• Multilingual posters and QR-code linked digital materials visible across Switzerland, guiding the public on how to identify human trafficking
• Coordination with local anti-trafficking organisations throughout the campaign
• Resources shared with Border Force hubs across Europe and rearview mirror hangtags shared with Uber drivers with further information

About It’s a Penalty

“Sport has the power to inspire and spark change, and through the It’s a Penalty campaign, we are leveraging the UEFA Women’s Euros to shed light on this issue and prevent exploitation. Together with our dedicated partners, we are committed to making a difference and leaving a positive legacy in the communities hosting the games across Switzerland and Europe.”

– Sarah de Carvalho, CEO, It’s a Penalty

It’s a Penalty aims to prevent human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse using sport’s unifying power to drive local and global educational campaigns during major sporting events. Major sporting events, such as the UEFA Women’s Euros, present unique opportunities to unite communities, foster cross-sector collaboration, and raise awareness about human trafficking—leaving a lasting, positive legacy. While these events do not cause trafficking, they can amplify existing patterns and displace them geographically. With large crowds and increased visibility, the heightened attention created by such events enable powerful platforms and opportunities to highlight the year-round prevalence of trafficking and push for systemic change.