Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) and the Child Labor Coalition (CLC) mourn the untimely passing of Terry Collingsworth, a pioneering human rights attorney and tireless advocate for workers, children, and vulnerable communities around the world.

For decades, Terry dedicated his life to confronting injustice and holding powerful multinational corporations accountable for human rights abuses. As the founder and Executive Director of International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates), he helped advance a bold vision of a world free from forced labor, child slavery, and exploitation—a world where victims of corporate abuses have meaningful access to justice.

Terry understood that protecting human rights required more than promises and voluntary corporate commitments. It demanded courageous action, legal accountability, and strong partnerships with workers and communities on the front lines of exploitation. His pioneering approach combined strategic litigation, research, public advocacy, and coalition building to challenge some of the world’s most powerful corporations.

From representing children trafficked into forced labor on cocoa plantations in West Africa to challenging hazardous child labor in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Terry was relentless in his pursuit of justice. His work also sought accountability for violence against trade unionists and for the exploitation of workers and communities whose fundamental rights had been denied.

For the Child Labor Coalition and the National Consumers League, Terry was an important ally in the shared struggle to eliminate child labor and ensure that corporations respect human rights throughout their global supply chains. He recognized the essential role of consumers, advocates, trade unions, and grassroots organizations in demanding change and refusing to accept exploitation as the cost of doing business.

Terry’s determination, courage, and commitment to those too often denied a voice leave an enduring legacy. He demonstrated that even the most powerful corporations must be challenged when they profit from human suffering, and that the law can be a powerful instrument for advancing human dignity.

We extend our deepest condolences to Terry’s family, friends, and colleagues. We honor his extraordinary contributions by reaffirming our commitment to the principles he championed: justice for exploited workers, freedom for children trapped in forced labor, and accountability for those who violate fundamental human rights.

###

About the National Consumers League (NCL)

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.