The hardship brought into Bipana’s life by an unknown person’s friend request

KATHMANDU: Bipana Gole (name changed) from Chitwan struggled to provide meals a day for her family. Her husband earned a modest income through manual labor but spent most of it on alcohol, leading to constant domestic disputes. Bipana found it incredibly difficult to support her four children.

The constant worry about how to feed her children troubled Bipana deeply. One day, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. Curious, she answered, and the caller later sent her a friend request on social media (Facebook). She accepted the request and became friends with the caller.

Through their conversations on Facebook, the caller tempted Bipana with the promise of sending her abroad without any cost. Bipana decided to go abroad, saying, “The constant struggle for food at home and having to keep my children hungry pushed me to make this decision.” The caller offered to send her to Kuwait via India. However, upon reaching India, Bipana discovered that she had been sold to a brothel by the traffickers. After a year, with the help of relatives, Bipana managed to return to Nepal.

Bipana’s story is just one example of human trafficking. Advances in information, communication, and technology have made trafficking easier. Whereas previously only naive village women were trafficked, now educated women from cities are also at risk. Recent statistics from the Nepal Police indicate that educated urban women have increasingly fallen prey to trafficking in the past five years. Despite efforts by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens to combat trafficking, the growing use of communication technology has facilitated traffickers.

Various governmental and non-governmental organizations are working to prevent human trafficking, but the situation has worsened rather than improved. According to the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, over 80% of trafficking victims are women. Recently, elderly Chinese and Korean men have been marrying Nepali women and subsequently trafficking them, as reported by the organization Maiti Nepal.

Maiti Nepal’s studies show that women trafficked through marriage are often held captive and tortured. Labor and sexual exploitation occur when individuals are taken abroad for employment without proper procedures. Social media has also become a means through which individuals are trafficked. Recently, an Indian NGO, Kin India, revealed that 28 men from Dhanusha and Siraha districts (aged 24 to 60) were held captive in India.

The Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, in collaboration with the Nepali Embassy in India and technical support from Kin India, rescued and brought the victims back to Janakpur, Dhanusha. The Ministry prioritizes the rescue and protection of trafficking victims. The 28 men were reunited with their families under the supervision of Minister Nawal Kishor Sah, Secretary Bhattarai, and Under-Secretary Abha Shrestha Karn.

The methods of human trafficking have evolved recently. The increased use of social media, the trend of marrying foreigners, and the growing number of women seeking foreign employment have all contributed to the rise in trafficking risks. The Ministry’s report highlights that the prevalence of trafficking has surged due to the widespread access to social media, the desire for a better appearance and lifestyle, and the pressure to conform to social standards. It is imperative for the state to enhance its efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling in response to these changes.