Prevention of Human Trafficking in Nepal

In the past we, HIMRIGHTS have created and published three art comic books (2003 and 2016) by and for children as well as others in affected areas. We have also made visual docudramas (2002) which are still being used. We used similar process to produce three art comic books as a reconciliation process and advocacy tools to stop the armed conflict in Nepal. We found these process extremely effective both for positive transformation of and for the children as well to advocate and awareness tool on the issues.  It was a long process however in the current situation we do not have adequate fund to conduct the program in similar processes against human trafficking through art.  With the limited fund raising we have been able raise through GlobalGiving, we have been conducting the programs for about three hours in a school in affected area. Friday is a half day we are able to use the second half of the day for activities. Both the students and teachers have appreciated our past programs in various schools for few years. This time we conducted the program at Suryodaya Secondary School, Rakshirang Ward No- 3, Makwanpur, Nepal.  The objective is for them to understand the prevalence of human trafficking and unsafe migration, awareness and prevention for themselves and their communities.  At the same time, we want them to have fun in learning and creativity. We provided them with pencils, erasers, sharpeners, crayon colors, drawing papers, and chart papers. We provide them with snacks too. 20 children, 16 girls and 4 boys from grade 5-10 participated in the program.

In the first phase of the program, the principal, a member of the management committee, a teacher from the school and HIMRIHGTS program coordinator gave briefs on prevalence of human the concept of human trafficking, possibilities of people falling in the trap of human traffickers during foreign employment/unsafe migration, trafficking within the country and beyond. This was necessary as we realized that children are mostly unaware of these issues. Foreign employment has become a biggest means of human trafficking too.  People are lured and or coerced with amazing dreams and money and end up in human trafficking. Furthermore, they have to pay the agents too leading them to get huge loan with super high interest and entrapped into a vicious cycle. The briefs about these issues were given using postcards and picture, these methods are used for easy to understand for children.

Children were then asked to what they know of these issues in their family and communities and their possible roles against human trafficking to express it through art; to make it fun for them to deal with difficult issue. In the duration of 3 hours, children demonstrated their conceptual understanding of this issue as well as their possible roles; specifically, the prevention strategies to protect themselves from the trap of human trafficking.

The school regularly conducts extra-curricular activities and programs every Friday but this program was a different one.  The children and teachers loved this activity as it addresses very important issues in their lives. But at the same time learn with fun. The Principal of the school said that this is a very good method where we attempted to provide children with knowledge about the sensitive issue of human trafficking in a creative and fun way. We believe that this program was enlightening for the children and make them aware of the harsh reality of human trafficking that exists to date. The principal of the school shared that the program was an impactful one. In addition, he has requested HIMRIGHTS to continue conducting such programs.

Permission is taken from children, parents and schools for the photographs to be used in public.

The good news is HIMRIHGTS is selected in the District Committee to Control Human Trafficking is a government body as an NGO who has worked for decades in this sector. We will be conducting some programs as a joint initiate between government and other NGO members of this Committee. We will be working on Hoarding Boards to prevent human trafficking for next reporting period.