Human trafficking preventive efforts have become more complicated and challenging as traffickers are adopting new technology to communicate among one another and their potential victims.

 

According to Maiti Nepal’s regional coordinator Keshab Koirala, traffickers these days are one step ahead of the police and the anti-trafficking organisations. With the help of technology, the traffickers contact their targets and persuade them into following them across the border in the pretext of providing lucrative jobs.

 

Last year, the Maiti Nepal regional office in Nepalgunj rescued 82 women and girls forced into labour and sex exploitation from India, Dubai and Kuwait, and 210 potential victims of trafficking from the Nepal-India border points.

 

According to Koirala, women and girls from the Karnali province and the Sudurpashchim province are more vulnerable to trafficking. At least 920 women and girls from these two provinces were rescued from the Nepal-India border points in the last year alone.

 

Despite countless efforts by the government and non government offices to control human trafficking, countless women and girls become a victim of trafficking on a daily basis.

 

“Due to a lack of coordinated efforts and absence of anti-trafficking mechanism, human trafficking still remains rampant in the country,” said Uma Thapa Magar, deputy mayor of Nepalgunj.

 

Nepal’s law defines human trafficking as a crime of a serious nature. A person convicted in the human trafficking case (selling or purchasing) faces a 20-year-jail sentence along with a fine of up to Rs 200 thousand. Similarly, a person involved in the transportation of a victim shall face a 10-15 year jail sentence and a fine of Rs 50,000- to Rs 100,000.

 

Despite strong legal measures in the country to control trafficking, survivors are still reluctant to seek legal redress due to lengthy litigation, said advocate Basanta Gautam.

 

“The survivors prefer to settle the case outside the court instead,” Gautam said.