WATCH: Blinken delivers remarks on State Department’s annual human trafficking report

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered remarks on Thursday on the department’s annual human trafficking report.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET. Watch in the player above.

The United States is committed to combating human trafficking because it represents an attack on human rights and freedoms,” he said. “It violates the universal right of every person to have autonomy over their own life and actions. Today, more than 27 million people around the world are denied that right.”

Blinken was joined by Cindy Dyer, ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat trafficking in persons.

According to the State Department, the report “assesses government efforts around the world to combat human trafficking and highlights strategies to address this crime and protect the victims.”

“It not only serves as a central reference point for the status of anti-trafficking efforts in each country, including the United States, but it also highlights the best practices and helps disseminate them,” said Dyer.