GIRL TRAFFICKING
Rising
Concern
At a time when the number of girl trafficking cases has risen unexpectedly, the government implemented the new act against human trafficking with harsh punishment for the traffickers. The past experiences have shown that laws are not alone enough to stop the number of girls crossing the border. Living below the poverty level, Nepalese girls fall easy prey for the traffickers who can lure rural women by promises of better life. Devastated by eleven years long conflict, it will take a long time before rural economy can develop. As long as rampant poverty, illiteracy and lack of employment opportunities continue to exist, overcoming the girl trafficking could be an uphill task
By KESHAB POUDEL
- At the joint initiative of police personnel of Kakarvitta Area Police Office (APO) and Maiti Nepal, six Nepali women were rescued from Kakarvitta of Jhapa, 700 kilometer east of capital on 23 September. The girls were heading towards a Gulf country via India.
However, the police failed to arrest those persons who were taking the women under pretext of taking them to the Gulf country.
Often Nepalese women’s journey towards dreams of prosperity ends up in Indian brothels.
Illiterate and economically backward, the rescued women Gita Tamang, Khel Maya Magar, Sapana Rai and Chhabi Maya Dahal of Letang VDC in Morang district, and Mina Lama and Anju Bal of Hetauda were put in Maiti Nepal’s Transit Home in safe hands of Maiti Nepal.
“Following the rescue, the women were sent to our transit home,” said Govinda Ghimire, Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Maiti Nepal, an NGO working for the rescue and rehabilitation of the trafficked girls.
Similarly, seven Nepali children were rescued on September 23 from border check post of Sangrapur of Sarlahi district, 300 kilometers south west of capital. Indian nationals Rabi Yadav, Mahesh Mukhiya and Anil Kumar were arrested in this connection.
Likewise, four Nepalese girls were rescued from Sunauli, Bhairahawa, bordering town located 300 kilometers south west of capital. These women were on way to India with some unknown persons when police intercepted their convoy.
In many border check posts, volunteers of Maiti Nepal have intercepted thousands of women before crossing the border. The volunteers watch and monitor all the activities and mobility of women.
At a time when most of the police posts in the rural areas were dismantled and relocated and many police posts were removed, Maiti Nepal’s border check posts were the only ones working to prevent trafficking.
After the establishment of border checks points in 1996, the volunteers of Maiti Nepal have already prevented thousands of women and rescued those who were being trafficked to Indian brothels. The shelter home provides shelter to those who are rescued in the border check posts.
In recent years, there has been increase in the number of Nepalese girls being trafficked across various border entry points of Nepal. Earlier, 8,000 Nepalese girls between 12-19 years used to be trafficked across Indian border annually. However, this figure has increased to 12,000 annually over the past few years.
According to Maiti Nepal, thousands of Nepalese girls are undergoing hardships including sexual exploitation in various cities of India. Maiti Nepal informed that the transit home at Kakarvitta alone has rescued 104 girls who were about to be trafficked into India, and intercepted 960 other girls who were heading for India. Since 1996, Maiti Nepal’s volunteers have been monitoring the mobility of girls in the 26 entry points adjoining Indian border.
As the law and order situation has deteriorated following the intensification of conflict and people have been displaced from rural parts of the country, there have been further increase in the number of the Nepalese girls being trafficked across various border entry points of Nepal.
New Act
At a time when cases of trafficking are increasing alarmingly, the announcement of new anti-human trafficking act by the government is a major step.
Although police and Maiti Nepal volunteers often intercepted the traffickers and many women filed cases against those involved in trafficking, the culprits escaped easily as there were many lacunae in the previous laws.
After a continual pressure from non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders, the new act is now in the process of implementation. Unlike previous anti trafficking act 1986, the new act shifts the burden of proof to the culprit, not to the victims.
Since the number of girl trafficking continues to rise, police actions alone are not enough to contain it. There is a great need for public awareness in border areas as well as alertness in order to control girl and human trafficking across the border.
According to the new act, the imprisonment for persons indicted in the human trafficking has been increased from 15 to 20 years. There is also a provision for trial in the closed court room. In the past, the victim often felt offended to deal the matter in open court.
The Attorney General’s Annual Reports of 2006/07 showed that the office filed 203 cases in the districts courts on trafficking. Among them, 60 were convicted and 35 freed while 108 cases are still pending. As the judicial process is lengthy, victims had to wait for a long period of time to get the justice. “The legal process is lengthy and it takes a couple of years to complete the proceedings,” said attorney general. Statistics also show that the judicial proceedings are very long.
Among others, as per the new act, victim shall receive half of the ancestral property of concerned person who is found guilty in the case.
As the burden of proof has been shifted to accused, lawyers believe, the process will now be shorter than in the past. Earlier, the delay was also caused by time spent in gathering evidences.
Level of Awareness
Although more than two dozen non-governmental organizations have been working to generate awareness among the rural population regarding anti-trafficking, their message is yet to reach to all the households. In many cases, their activities have been confined to urban centers only.
With the intensification of Maoist insurgency, many rural populations were displaced and many NGOs shut down their site offices in the remote parts of Nepal. Removal of police posts in the rural areas gave more space to the criminals.
Along with the need to launch awareness campaign at different levels, there is also a need to increase awareness about trafficking at the school level while tightening security checks at exit points.
After the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Maoists and seven party alliance government, the situation has improved now in rural parts of Nepal. Many police posts were rehabilitated and NGOs have started to launch their drive in the rural areas again.
UN’s Prediction
Despite easing tension in the rural parts of Nepal, the girl trafficking is now alarmingly high. In its recent report UN Regional Office for South Asia for Prevention of Drugs and Crimes disclosed that 10,000 to 15,000 girls are being trafficked from Nepal to India.
According to the UN report, they are allured to India of good job and sold there. “illiteracy, poverty and Nepal's long armed conflict and other economic and social causes are behind (it).”
The office provides training to the police who are working to check the human trafficking and other human crimes.
The organization is actively involved in the programs like implementation of the laws, capacity building, and rehabilitation of the victims in South Asia, including Nepal. Studies have shown that the number of displaced has surged in Nepal, problem of internal migration has worsened and Kathmandu has prospered as a centre of trafficking of women and children due to the long armed conflict. The women and teenage girls who come to Kathmandu in search of the jobs become soft targets for the pimps.
Surges of HIV/AIDS
As the trafficking surges, the number of AIDS and other sexual transmitted diseases have also shot up. A study recently conducted by a US institution showed that 40 percent of the sexual workers returning to Nepal from different Indian cities carried HIV/AIDS.
There are today more than 200,000 Nepali girls in the Indian brothels. In the worldwide multi-billion dollar human trafficking industry, Nepal is also contributing significantly. No doubt, trafficking has become one of the worst evils of modern-day Nepal.
The social problems have been devastating. For many trafficked women and girls, forced prostitution has proved fatal, leaving them with the HIV virus which causes AIDS. Many studies have shown in recent years that more than 70 percent of the trafficked women have been infected with HIV or other STD.
Majority of women who were rescued from Indian brothel and returned to Nepal are HIV positive. If they are allowed to go to village without proper counseling, they are going to be a major risk factor.
It is estimated that more than 150,000 innocent rural women and girl children are trafficked to Indian brothels and cities alone for commercial sex.
Poverty As The Cause
Poverty is the main cause of women trafficking in Nepal in the rural areas. Faced with low family income and hardships to survive, many parents give away their children to brokers with the hope for economic prosperity without judging the risk.
However, these brokers sell off these girls to brothels in India. When the girls realize, it is always too late and rescue is too little. In a cycle of poverty trap, the women infected with HIV face big difficulties to survive. Many families have to face additional burden of taking care of their children with HIV.
Although some programs like income generation were introduced in the districts with high prevalence of girl trafficking, it will take a long time before it produces the attractive benefits for the rural population. The literacy rate of women too has gone up in recent years. But these positive growths are still too little.
At a time when all indications and studies have shown that girl trafficking is alarmingly increasing, the only solution will be to fight against poverty to root out the problem.
