1.5 million people at risk of being trafficked
15,000 women and 5,000 girls in 20181
60 long years
And still no solution
Records on human trafficking in Nepal date back to the 1960’s where women and girls were trafficked to brothels in India. Since then, the trafficking has expanded to countries such as Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE where Nepali people are being held captive and exploited.2 Nepal has tried to combat this issue but country has attempted one failed solution after the next.
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Causes:
1. Nepal’s Unemployment Rate
The current unemployment rate for women in Nepal is 22%.3 This number has risen significantly in the past 6 years as the country is still recovering from the aftermath of a massive earthquake in 2015. The unemployment in the country leads people to seek jobs outside the country. They find agents that help them get jobs but wound up tricked by the agents and getting trapped at their job sites instead. Their passports are taken and the people are forced to work until they can find a way out of captivity. This rising unemployment rate makes the resulting increase in trafficking an even more pressing issue that must be addressed.
2. Lack of Information
In a survey of 292 women, 76% reported that they had heard about sex trafficking. A majority of the respondents claimed the radio and TV to be their main source of information on the subject. Only 15.3% of the respondents reported that they received their information from NGOs and health professionals.4 This data suggests the level and quality of education, or lack thereof in Nepal regarding human trafficking.