Marcela Martinez

Marcela Martinez has significantly advanced Bolivia's efforts against human trafficking by forming the Social Responsibility Area of her law firm and creating the #RedAlertTempranaZar hashtag, which aids in locating victims.

Marcela Martinez is an accomplished Bolivian lawyer from La Paz and a leading anti-trafficking activist, who has demonstrably changed the direction of Bolivian and regional efforts to combat trafficking in persons, providing hope for families affected by human trafficking in Bolivia. 

In 2017, Martinez formed the Social Responsibility Area of her law firm, from which the #RedAlertTempranaZar hashtag operates.  This hashtag is modeled after the Amber Alert system in the United States to help activate searches for victims in Bolivia.  They also provide training, talks, workshops, and prevention webinars to schools, universities, neighborhood associations, and other civil society organizations.  To date, more than 18,000 volunteers participate in the network and have helped authorities locate more than 150 victims. 

Martinez’s work has been instrumental in the prosecution of traffickers, protection of survivors, and prevention of victims.  She drafted and lobbied for the passage of the first comprehensive Bolivian national law that gives law enforcement and prosecutors new tools and resources to combat trafficking in persons.  She also created the National Trafficking in Persons Council to coordinate Bolivian government efforts to fight human trafficking. 

She was part of the NinaSonko Heart of Fire Women's Circle, which provides support and holistic and business coaching to survivors of trafficking and violence and supports social reintegration.  She has also served as a trainer through UNODC, training judges, prosecutors, and police officers on victim care at the national level.  Through her tireless efforts, Martinez has reduced human trafficking in Bolivia.