Stop Girl Trafficking Project

Speeches Shim

Globally and in Nepal human trafficking, particularly of women and children for forced and exploitative labor including sexual exploitation, is one of the most egregious violations of human rights. The 2015 United States Department of State’s report for Annual Trafficking in Persons states that Nepal remains a source, transit point, and destination country to exploit men, women and children and subject them to forced labor and sex trafficking. Nepali women and girls are increasingly falling victim to forced labor and sexual exploitation in Nepal, India, the Gulf countries and others. Nepal has made significant progress in providing access to education. Human  trafficking remains an issue of concern, particularly for disadvantaged communities. Schools provide a safe place to learn and keep children safe from traffickers, and empower children and their families from falling victim to lucrative offers from traffickers.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

USAID’s Stop Girl Trafficking project is a $1.5 million, three year project that works closely with girls and women, family guardians and civil society to address girl trafficking through education, awareness, community engagement, and counselling. The project educates school girls as they grow older and move into higher level grades. Girls are provided basic needs such as a school kit, tutoring, and academic counseling. The project also provides support to keep girls in schools by monitoring their academic progress and providing opportunities to learn more about girls’ health, legal rights and human trafficking prevention. The project collaborates with non-governmental organizations, civil society and local government representatives to ensure application of laws and rights for girls’ trafficking prevention. The project-supported advocacy campaigns are helping youth, women, teachers, and community members including key stakeholders to prevent trafficking incidents in their communities, understand the legal provisions put in place by the Government of Nepal to prosecute perpetrators and on the rights of trafficking survivors.

The project works in six trafficking prone districts: Banke, Bardia, Kailali, Kanchenpur, Surkhet and the earthquake-affected district of Sindhupalchowk.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The project creates awareness through girl’s education, decreases incidences of sex-trafficking, child labor trafficking, domestic violence, early marriage, unsafe early migration, and sexual abuse. Through education, empowerment and awareness for Nepali girls, their families and their communities the project will build linkages and collaboration between local government and civil society minimizing trafficking risks in communities. Specific objectives of this project include:
  • Provide educational support to 3,800 girls from 125 schools in the Mid- and Far Western districts, including the earthquake affected district Sindhupalchowk. In addition, girls in grades 9-10 receive extracurricular activities in health and other life skills, and 110 schools are getting support to enhance existing school infrastructure.
  • SGT builds confidence among the girls by creating network for sharing information and an opportunity to access quarterly publication “Nariswor”. Counselling classes are raising awareness about the risk of trafficking, early marriage, and the importance of girls finishing their secondary education.
  • Build a greater advocacy by creating a network with key stakeholders in all six districts to work collaboratively on anti-trafficking efforts.
  • Girls become alumnae volunteer counselors that continue to educate girls after their graduation. Alumnae volunteers gain self-confidence and independence, while younger girls gain positive peer role models and can visualize their own futures.