Prevention of Human Trafficking in Nepal

We have celebrated 16 Days of Gender Based Violence Against Women Campaign, annually to highlight various forms of violence faced by women. However, HIMRIGHTS and few members of Network Against Human Trafficking, annually have focused mainly on human trafficking. On December 3, 2022 we conducted a workshop at Raksirang Rural Municipality, Makwapur with local community, CBOs, and local government. We, HIMRIGHTS and Maiti Nepal conducted interactive workshop on various forms of existing violence against women in this district, used this platform to highlight human trafficking as a Gender Based Violence. We shared the problem of human trafficking which used to be to Indian cities in the past only but have expanded globally especially with labor migration and aspiration for better future. Many women from this Municipality and district have migrated to different countries but the families do not even know which country they have gone to. Many have not communicated with their families for years. There is very thin line between safe labor migration and human trafficking. Most have been in slave like situation in Gulf countries, especially those who work as domestic help. Recently social media is used to lure women to become friends and build trust. They give a very enticing picture of “great paid jobs” in foreign countries; they are giving opportunities clandestinely as “special friend”. With this trust and special relationship built most women are enticed to pay fees to traffickers to work in foreign countries. Many are taken through illegal routes to “ well paying jobs” but do not realize that they were being trafficked and sold.

This was a good platform to inform and discuss the issues on labor migration and human trafficking as many aspire to work in foreign countries. But have no clue that they could be trafficked. This helped them to make informed and meaningful choice when they choose labor migration and prevent from being trafficked. This was a very effective workshop as we collaborated not only with our network members but also with the local government. Human trafficking is a serious crime against humanity which needs to be addressed not only by NGOs but by local, state, and international governments.

We provided snacks to 35participants.

We had a very exciting and busy final quarter reporting for 2022. HIMRIGHTS has been working for the prevention of human trafficking even before its formal registration in 1996. We were integral part of the NGO team who brought back 128 survivors from different brothels of Mumbai in 1996. We have focused our work on their empowerment, leadership, human rights and dignity of the survivors. We (including other NGOs working in this sector) envisioned and encouraged them to start their own organization, Shakti Samuha. It was a huge struggle for us to lobby for them to be accepted as equals and leaders, their voices to be integrated in all laws and policies. Recently more survivors have been integral part in the policy making process. We have closely worked with survivors for decades. This year the Ministry of Women Children Senior Citizens have selected the Chairperson of Shakti Samuha, as one of the key speakers for National Day Against Human Trafficking, Sept. 5, 2022. This was a recognition of all our work both of survivors and NGOs—it was a joy, honor, and pride for us to listen to her speak in this high level national event organized by the Ministry. HIMRIGHTS has worked with her very closely.

In the past, the rally for this day was organized by both the Ministry and NGOs, especially Alliance Against Trafficking of Women and Children in Nepal, a network of 43 NGOs working in this issue, HIMRIHGTS is the co-founder of this network. Since Covid-19 Pandemic, the rally had not been physically organized; however, this year the Ministry asked the rally to be organized by AATWIN only. We supported financially for water, juice and cookies along with four other organizations. Twenty six NGOs participated with 524 participants. Similarly, we supported the rally on the same in Makwanpur; organized jointly by Social Development Ministry of Bagmati Province and Network Against Human Trafficking and Human Rights Protection. This year’s theme was “Trafficking is the Concern of all three levels of the Government”.

We conducted one day workshop on Sept 4, 2022, on what is human trafficking, current trends and legal provisions in Shree Prajaadharbhut Bidhyalaya (School), Manahari in collaboration with the School, Maiti Nepal and Shanti Foundation.

The members, HIMRIGHTS, Sanahatharu, Nari Sanranchyan Kendra, Maiti Nepal, Asmita Nepal, ETSC Nepal and Esther Benjamin Memorial members of Network Against Human Trafficking and Human Rights Protection placed a hoarding board in the Hetauda bus park, which is the main East West highway to raise awareness and alert vulnerable population against human trafficking. This activity was conducted as part of 16 days of activism against gender ased violence.  HIMRIGHTS founded this network.

We rescued four young women from Niharika Hotel, Hetauda Bus Park. They have been made to work for free in upkeep of the hotel and forced to have sexual relationship with their clients. One of the women made a verbal complain to local police, while counseling the counsellor found out there were three more women in this exploitative situation. Thus, the district police raided the hotel and asked HIMRIGHTS, Sanahatharu, Maiti Nepal, and Shanti Foundation to be part of the rescue team. The owner of the hotel is in police custody and the case is registered for human trafficking.