August 1:  Despite the impact of COVID-19, the Government of Nepal continues to make gains in countering human trafficking, according to Winrock International – an INGO that has been raising awareness about trafficking in persons and other issues under Hamro Samman project.

As per the 2021 US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, the achievements made by Nepal included ratification of the Palermo Protocol, steps to amend the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, and continuing to raise awareness on trafficking. 

With the rapid development in communication technology, the challenges of countering TIP have also changed, the organization said in a statement issued on July 30. The lockdown has seen traffickers increasingly use social media and mobile technologies to lure and deceive victims. Many Nepalis whose homes were destroyed by the 2015 earthquakes, and who are now being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, are especially vulnerable to trafficking, the statement added.

A webinar organized by Winrock International on the occasion of the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons highlighted the need to have strong engagement and participation of TIP survivors to address these challenges. 

During the webinar, the survivors of trafficking, who have received support from the Hamro Samman project, shared their stories, how they overcame trafficking, and the resilience they gained from the experience. They are now working to improve awareness, community engagement, and transformative empowerment at the local level in coordination with committees and governments, the statement further said. The event also discussed the heightened vulnerability, renewed challenges, and collaborative solutions to countering TIP.

“This event served as a platform for highlighting the efforts of local governments countering TIP in their communities,” the statement quoted Adriana Hayes, the acting mission director for USAID/Nepal, as saying.

Nathanael Bevan, Development Director at the British Embassy Kathmandu said, “Crises have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities including women and girls. The pandemic has put such groups at more risk than ever before. By working with local governments and stakeholders, our Hamro Samman programme is ensuring that survivors’ voices and leadership are at the centre of tackling trafficking.”

The Hamro Samman Project is being jointly funded by the USAID and the UK to help address human trafficking issues, specifically in the foreign labor migration and entertainment sectors. The project aims to strengthen the Government of Nepal’s system to tackle human trafficking and build synergies among the government, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen laws to prosecute traffickers and better support survivors under Nepal’s federal structure.