Shattered Dreams to United Hands: A Case Study of Trafficked Girls at Shakti Samuha, Kathmandu

Abstract

Trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation is a tragic and long prevailing problem for this country. Vast number of women and children were already trafficked to neighboring country and sent back home with infection of deadly AIDS virus and few lucky ones are rescued and repatriated back home. In 1986, the first specific law was enacted with special mechanism to improve efforts to combat trafficking. However, even after enactment of this weapon against trafficking, there has been no significant improvement in the enforcement of the law. Women and children are still being trafficked, rescued and repatriated as usual. The repatriated women suffer number of physical, emotional and psychological and social problems making their integration to the society tough. This study finds different aspects of repatriated women and girls, here mentioned as SOTs. It has successfully produced the empirical data on their social demographics, causes of trafficking and their present situation in a shelter run by Shakti Samuha called Shakti Kendra. It has provided very important data on their present condition especially their relation with family, change in life, empowerment, financial satisfaction, social stigmatization and their social acceptance. The study finds out that the stigma in survivors created by community people is major obstacle in their integration. These results are backed up by real time narratives of five of the SOTs. Nepal has already signed and ratified 19 Human Rights treaties and covenants, 11 ILO conventions and four International Humanitarian laws but the essence of these laws have not been practically implemented due to different governmental, legal and policy level glitches. This study has tried to enumerate the existing laws related to women and children trafficking. It has presented present day situation of different International, Regional Covenants and National level plan, policy, pertaining laws and their implementation. The study showed that the State has more than enough laws, plans and policies regarding anti-trafficking but weak political stability, majority of people below poverty line and literacy emerged as the hindrances. Based on the findings, the study recommends strict law enforcement, prioritizing public awareness on trafficking and advocacy for SOTs rights and necessity of formulating anti-trafficking programmers and its effective implementation with the involvement of survivors for their successful reintegration.