The Changing Nature of Human Trafficking

The family of Bipana Gole (name changed) from Chitwan struggled to afford even two meals a day. Her husband earned a meager income as a daily wage laborer, but he spent most of it on alcohol and often fought at home, making it difficult for Bipana to raise their four children.

Bipana constantly worried about how to feed her children. One day, she received a call from an unknown number. The caller later sent her a friend request on Facebook, which Bipana accepted. They began chatting on the social media platform, and the caller offered to send Bipana abroad for free. Desperate Bipana thought, "How much longer can I keep my children hungry?" and decided to go abroad.

The caller told Bipana she would be sent to Kuwait via India. However, after reaching India, Bipana realized she had been sold to a brothel. A year later, Bipana managed to return to Nepal with the help of relatives.

Bipana’s story is just one example of how human trafficking has evolved with the development of information, communication, and technology. In the past, traffickers primarily targeted women from rural villages. Now, even city areas are not safe, with educated women increasingly at risk. Statistics from the Nepal Police over the last five years indicate that urban women are now frequent targets for traffickers. Despite efforts by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens to prevent human trafficking, advancements in communication technology have made it easier for traffickers to exploit both women and children.

Various governmental and non-governmental organizations are working to combat human trafficking. However, instead of decreasing, trafficking incidents are on the rise. According to the ministry, 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women. Maiti Nepal, an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking, reports that Nepali girls are often lured into marriages and then sold to elderly men in China and Korea.

A study by Maiti Nepal revealed that women married off from Nepal are often held hostage and tortured in their homes abroad. When individuals are taken for foreign employment without proper procedures, they face labor exploitation and sexual abuse. Social networks are frequently used to establish connections, which traffickers then exploit. Recently, the Indian non-governmental organization KIN India reported that 28 men, including seven from Dhanusha district and 21 from Sirha district, were taken hostage.

In coordination with the Nepali Embassy in India and with the technical support of KIN India, the ministry took the initiative to rescue the victims and brought them to Janakpur, Dhanusha. The ministry places high importance on rescuing and protecting victims of human trafficking. In light of this incident, the 28 men rescued and brought to Dhanusha were reunited with their families in the presence of Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Nawal Kishore Sah (Sudi).

The nature of human trafficking is evolving. The increasing use of social media, the trend of marrying foreigners, and the growing number of women seeking work abroad have heightened the risk of trafficking. The ministry’s report highlights that human trafficking has flourished under the guise of foreign employment, driven by the widespread use of social media by ordinary citizens.

The report also suggests that the desire to display wealth and status in society has contributed to the rising risk of trafficking. As technology advances, the state must take proactive measures to curb human trafficking. -- RSS