Prevention of Human Trafficking in Nepal

We, HIMRIGHTS take various celebration days to focus our voice against human Trafficking. Recently on the 115^th International Women’s Day we jointly conducted a rally, orientation and entertainment in Raksirang Rural Municipality with the local government, FIAN Nepal and HIMRIGHTS. The events focused on Gender Equality/Violence, Social Inclusion, Human Trafficking, Child Marriage, and Child Labor which are also the root causes of human trafficking with 95 marginalized people. The surveillance groups also participated in the program who volunteers their time for prevention of these issues.

Various sessions were conducted on what, how, and impact of human trafficking at individual and national level including the other issues. Information was also shared on where to seek help if one is in trouble. All other issues were presented too. HIMRIHGTS coordinator and representative of FIAN presented and interacted with the participants and the chief administrative officer of the Raksirang Rural Municipality facilitated the session.

In the last part of the day the participants played games to understand the issues and have fun too, integrating the issues and games like musical chair. The winners were awarded. We provided snacks to all the participants.

During the latter half of this year 2023, we, HIRIGHTS conducted many programs with many other NGOs and Local Governments. We organized the 17^{th -} Anti Human Trafficking Day on Sept. 4, 2023, with the nationwide slogan of Social Justice and Economic Empowerment: Eradication of Human Trafficking in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan city, along with other 25 NGOs and Local Governments. We conducted Quiz Competition with 12 young pairs with 158 audiences from all 16 Wards of this city. The questions were focused on what is human trafficking, legal provisions-recent amendments and enactments, and the recent methods of human trafficking. This was an effective method to raise awareness to a larger mass with those who participate, their families, friends, and communities, as well as through media. This also helps to highlight the gravity and prevalence of the issue and the need to take precautions before “economic migrations” many of which eventually turn out to be human trafficking. This program included NGOs, INGOs, lawyers, human rights activists, journalists, local governments, and community elders too.

Nov. 8, we, HIMRIGHTS, Miati Nepal, Sana Hatharu, and Kosish Nepal partnered jointly with Nepal Police from Makwanpur for a monitoring visit to hotels and long-distance buses on East West Highway which is a major route for internal and external human trafficking. Hotels and buses are used by the traffickers. We distributed many leaflets developed by these and other organizations against human trafficking to educate people on the issue.

Similarly, on Dec.7, 2023 as part of 16 Days Campaign on Violence Against Women, we HIMRIGHTS, Maiti Nepal, and Sana Hatharu conducted musical theatre to raise awareness on the prevalence of violence against women, human trafficking, witchcraft, “chaupadi” (menstrual segregation) as part of Gender-Based. These are some of the root causes of human trafficking. There were 110 participants and attendants including human rights activists, lawyers, NGOs/CBOs, journalists.