The sixth National Day Against Human Trafficking was observed today urging the government to be more alert against this social evil.

Anuradha Koirala, chairperson of Maiti Nepal said the government should be more vigilant to curb human trafficking to India and other Gulf countries.

Women and children are trafficked especially for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and UAE. She said the Gulf was becoming a ‘risky zone’.

Most women who have returned from the Gulf have been diagnosed with mental disorders such as psychosis, severe depression and schizophrenia.

At least five cases of mentally disturbed women returning from gulf countries have been recorded by Maiti Nepal alone, said Koirala.

According to ‘Migration of Nepalese Women to Gulf Countries: exploitation and implication on health’ report prepared by Maiti Nepal in 2009, only 33 per cent of women returned in good health from the Gulf . Of the 67 per cent who had medical problems, 57 per cent were diagnosed with psychiatric illness, two per cent were pregnant, four per cent had tuberculosis, and four per cent had other minor ailments.

Among the patients who had psychiatric disease, 50 per cent were suffering from schizophrenia, 20 per cent depression, 13 per cent psychosis, seven per cent anxiety.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment , approximately half a million Nepalis migrated to countries other than India for work through both regular and irregular channels last fiscal. Last year, about 22,000 women had gone abroad for work.

Kiran Rupakhetee, under secretary at the Secretariat for National Committee for Controlling Human Trafficking at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare said the government is doing its bit to curb trafficking through awareness programmes at the grassroots.

“The government is working to develop an integrated data system among government lawyers, Supreme Court and Nepal Police for developing a mechanism to address trafficking issues,” said the official.

Published on: 6 September 2012 | The Himalayan Times