HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Prevent human trafficking, emphasises Chief Justice

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 29: Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya today said that the country’s laws must commensurate with the international and regional conventions that Nepal has ratified.

Inaugurating a one-day workshop on ‘Trafficking in Human Beings (Control) Bill’ here today, Upadhyaya opined that Nepalese women have not been able to compete with men due to social and economic situations.

"The laws must have provisions to punish the persons involved in the criminal activities like girl trafficking and provide compensation for the victims," he said.

Chief Justice Upadhyaya said that the main objective of the legislation concerning prevention of human beings trafficking should be mainly on the prevention and control of human trafficking.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahendra Yadav "Madhukar", Chairman of the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, expressed the view that the workshop would be able to forward concrete suggestions for incorporating them in the proposed Trafficking in Human Beings (Control) Bill before it is registered at the Parliament.

The Bill was registered at the Parliament Secretariat during the 19th session by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. But the Bill had failed to get into discussion as the session had failed to enter into its normal functioning.

He further said that the Nepalese girls have been sold into prostitution owing to ignorance, poverty and self-interest of some individuals.

"But framing up laws alone will not be sufficient. They must be implemented in an effective manner so as to control such crimes," he said.

Addressing the inaugural session, lawmaker and former Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Kamala Devi Panta said that all forms of discrimination against women must be uprooted in order to protect the human rights of women.

"Nepal has shown its commitment to do away with discriminations against women by ratifying several international conventions. But many laws that contradict with the provisions of the international conventions are still in force," Ms. Panta expressed concern.

Citing examples of discrimination against women in the country, she said that the dissemination of baseless information about women has been rampant in the society.

Another lawmaker Prem Bahadur Singh said that the country has been facing the problem of trafficking in girls and women for years, an effective and strong legal provision is essential to control it.

"Lawmakers have a positive attitude to pass the Bill regarding the Human Trafficking if the government introduces it into the Parliament," Singh, who is also a member of the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, assured.

Highlighting the objectives of the workshop, Sapana Pradhan Malla, chairperson of the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD), said that the victims of trafficking are forced to face both the physical and mental torture.

"As the Bill has failed to incorporate many provisions such as extra territorial jurisdiction and extradition of the criminals, it needs extensive discussion," Ms. Malla said.

She also emphasised the need to distinguish between trafficking, prostitution and migration.

"We need to encompass the provisions of Child Rights Convention, Convention on Slavery and other international conventions in our laws," she said.

She also said that the laws must protect the rights of victims and witnesses.

Every year, 5,000 to 7,000 Nepalese girls and women are believed to be trafficked to foreign land, especially India for prostitution. But only a fraction of them comes to the notice of the police and administration due to the lack of effective laws.

Organised by FWLD and supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the workshop was participated in by the government officials, lawyers, journalists, representatives of NGOs and donor agencies.

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