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.