ABC Nepal

Last updated
ABC Nepal
AbbreviationAgro-forestry Basic Health and Cooperative Nepal
Formation1987 (1987)
TypeNon-profit organization
Headquarters Kathmandu
Location
President
 Durga Ghimire
Website http://www.abcnepal.org.np

Agroforestry, Basic Health, and Cooperative Nepal (ABC Nepal) is a nonprofit, non governmental organisation working in Nepal that focuses on women's rights and works against human trafficking in Nepal. Created in 1987, ABC Nepal was among the first Non Governmental Organisations established in Nepal. It was registered soon after the introduction of Nepalese multiparty democracy in 1991. The president of the organisation is Durga Ghimire.

Contents

History

In 1991, ABC Nepal was the first Nepalese organisation to bring the subject of human trafficking to the national level by hosting conferences on trafficking of teenage girls and Nepalese sex slavery. [1] [2] It has been among the leading organisations in this field, and ABC Nepal was the first Nepalese organisation to raise the issue of human trafficking on a national level, and did so by organizing conferences about the trafficking of underage girls and sex slavery in Nepal in 1991. [1] [2] It is one of the leading [3] organisations working in this field, and the combined efforts of ABC Nepal other organisations have led to the creation and implementation of various laws regarding women rights and human trafficking. [4]

ABC Nepal played a part in the rescue of 35 girls from the Apollo circus in New Delhi in 1996. [5] [6] It has also helped to rescue girls working as a sex slaves in Indian brothels and to rehabilitate them into society.

ABC Nepal has worked to prevent trafficking in women and children by generating social awareness especially among rural people, and by conducting border monitoring and cross border programs. [7] [8]

Focus area of work

Many commercial sex workers in India are Nepalese women, including many underage girls. A 1995 report published by Human Rights Watch indicated that almost half of the women working in brothels in Mumbai were Nepalese. Girls who lack an education may be tempted to move to the city; in many cases, they are deceived into believing that there will be a lucrative job or marriage prospects, only to find that they have been sold to a brothel, where they are kept for years as bonded labour. According to Human Rights Watch, escape is nearly impossible due to the constant surveillance, and the corruption prevalent among both the police and governments of India and Nepal. The girls' unsavory work makes them unacceptable to society, which greatly hinders the girls' reintegration and repatriation. [9]

Aside from sexual exploitation, girls have been trafficked for other reasons, including to have their kidneys sold, to be forced into marriage, or to work as domestic workers and cheap labourers in various parts of India. [10]

With changing public perspectives about of migration, the rising level of awareness among women, and the shift of trafficking pattern in Nepal, [11] ABC Nepal has focused on eliminating the trafficking of girls beyond India, especially in Saudi Arabia. Many girls lured by a dream of a better world and job follow the path led by unauthorized dealers and traffickers and end up being sexually exploited and enslaved. [11]

Programs and activities

ABC Nepal has provided income-generating training to rural women and victims of trafficking [7] to help them reduce their poverty and improve their living standard. It has formed over 300 women cooperative groups. [7] ABC Nepal also has promoted self-reliance, self-confidence and leadership skills in women by economic empowerment, vocational training, [7] and non formal education. The nonprofit focuses on reproductive health, providing education to secondary school children and operating health clinics and safe abortion campaigns. It has placed a special focus on HIV/AIDS [12] prevention and awareness. [7] The group enhances leadership in women and increases the participation of affected women at local, regional, and national levels. It also provides legal protection and can represent victims in legal processes. [13]

ABC Nepal has operated rehabilitation homes [14] in Kathmandu, Bhairahawa, and Biratnagar to provide shelter to victims of trafficking and violence against women.

ABC Nepal has raised awareness for safe migration. For example, the group monitored the Tribhuvan International Airport, establishing a help desk in major border transit of Bhairahawa.[ citation needed ] The rehabilitation and reintegration programs have yielded positive results. [15]

Geographical area coverage

The organization covers eastern, central and western development regions. [11] [16]

Eastern development region

Central development region

Western development region

Publications

The organization has published or contributed to several books, audio cassettes, and other publications. [6]

Red Light Traffic, a book by ABC Nepal Red light Trafficking ABC Nepal book.jpg
Red Light Traffic, a book by ABC Nepal

Books

Audio cassettes

Video cassettes

Posters

Related Research Articles

Prostitution is illegal in Nepal. The Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2064, Act Number 5 of the Year 2064 (2008), criminalises prostitution and living of the earnings of prostitution by including it in the definition of human trafficking. UNAIDS estimate there to be 67,300 prostitutes in the country.

Tulasa Thapa was a Nepali girl who was kidnapped from her home village of Thankot near Kathmandu in 1982 at the age of 13, smuggled into Mumbai via the border town of Birganj in Parsa District, and sold into prostitution. She was systematically beaten into submission, then repeatedly raped to make her fit for the trade. She was sold to three different brothels in Mumbai, at prices ranging from 5000 to 7000 rupees. In addition to the sex work she was forced to do in the brothel at a minimum of three customers per night, she was sent to various city hotels dressed in European style clothes to entertain customers for 180 rupees per night until at last a hotel manager reported her to the police. Following the public outcry, the governments of India and Nepal signed a 1985 cooperation agreement addressing the rescue and repatriation of Nepali girls trafficked into brothels in India.

Forced prostitution, also known as involuntary prostitution or compulsory prostitution, is prostitution or sexual slavery that takes place as a result of coercion by a third party. The terms "forced prostitution" or "enforced prostitution" appear in international and humanitarian conventions, such as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, but have been inconsistently applied. "Forced prostitution" refers to conditions of control over a person who is coerced by another to engage in sexual activity.How many women live through this type of abuse every day remains unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maiti Nepal</span> Non-profit organization in Nepal

Maiti Nepal is a non-profit organization in Nepal dedicated to helping the victims of human trafficking. Currently, it operates a rehabilitation home in Kathmandu, transit homes at the Indo-Nepal border towns, preventive homes in the countryside, and an academy in Kathmandu.

Prostitution in Kolkata is present in different forms and Kolkata's sex industry is one of the largest in Asia. Prostitution may be brothel-based or non-brothel based as in the case of call girls. India is regarded as having one of the largest commercial sex trades globally. Kolkata has many red-light districts, out of which Sonagachi is the largest red-light district in Asia with more than 50,000 commercial sex workers.

Prostitution in Ecuador is legal and regulated, as long as the prostitute is over the age of 18, registered, and works from a licensed brothel. Prostitution is widespread throughout the country. Many brothels and prostitutes operate outside the regulatory system and the regulations have been less strictly enforced in recent years. 25,000 prostitutes were registered in the year 2000. In 2007 it was estimated that 70% of the prostitutes in the country were from Colombia. The country attracts Colombian prostitutes as the currency is the US$ rather than the unstable Colombian peso. UNAIDS estimate there to be 35,000 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Paraguay is legal for persons over the age of 18, but related activities such as brothel keeping are prohibited. Prostitution is common in the country. Brothels are also common, even some rural villages have a small bar/brothel on the outskirts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Bangladesh</span> Sex work and its regulation in Bangladesh

Prostitution is legal and regulated in Bangladesh. Prostitutes must register and state an affidavit stating that they are entering prostitution of their own free choice and that they are unable to find any other work. Bangladeshi prostitutes often suffer poor social conditions and are frequently socially degraded.

Human trafficking in India, although illegal under Indian law, remains a significant problem. People are frequently illegally trafficked through India for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced/bonded labour. Although no reliable study of forced and bonded labour has been completed, NGOs estimate this problem affects 20 to 65 million Indians. Men, women and children are trafficked in India for diverse reasons. Women and girls are trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage, especially in those areas where the sex ratio is highly skewed in favour of men. Men and boys are trafficked for the purposes of labour, and may be sexually exploited by traffickers to serve as gigolos, massage experts, escorts, etc. A significant portion of children are subjected to forced labour as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom Firm</span>

Freedom Firm is a non-profit human rights organization which is based in India. It was created in 2006 by a small group. Its mission is to rescue sex trafficked girls, and to restore their identity. It also serves to seek justice against those responsible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child trafficking in India</span>

India has a very high volume of child trafficking. As many as one child disappears every eight minutes, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. In some cases, children are taken from their homes to be bought and sold in the market. In other cases, children are tricked into the hands of traffickers by being presented an opportunity for a job, when in reality, upon arrival they become enslaved. In India, there are many children trafficked for various reasons such as labor, begging, and sexual exploitation. Because of the nature of this crime; it is hard to track; and due to the poor enforcement of laws, it is difficult to prevent. Due to the nature of this crime, it is only possible to have estimates of figures regarding the issue. India is a prime area for child trafficking to occur, as many of those trafficked are from, travel through or destined to go to India. Though most of the trafficking occurs within the country, there is also a significant number of children trafficked from Nepal and Bangladesh. There are many different causes that lead to child trafficking, with the primary reasons being poverty, weak law enforcement, and a lack of good quality public education. The traffickers that take advantage of children can be from another area in India, or could even know the child personally. Children who return home after being trafficked often face shame in their communities, rather than being welcomed home.

Prostitution in Namibia is legal and a highly prevalent common practice. Related activities such as solicitation, procuring and being involved in the running of a brothel are illegal. A World Bank study estimated there were about 11,000 prostitutes in Namibia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anuradha Koirala</span> Nepalese activist

Anuradha Koirala, Okaldhunga district, is a Nepalese social activist and the founder of Maiti Nepal – a non-profit organization in Nepal, dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking. She was appointed as 1st Governor of Bagmati Province from by the Government of Nepal.

Sex trafficking in Thailand is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Kingdom of Thailand. Thailand is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sex trafficking. Child prostitution in Thailand is a problem. In Thailand, close to 40,000 children under the age of 16 are believed to be in the sex trade, working in clubs, bars, and brothels.

Human trafficking in Nepal is a growing criminal industry affecting multiple other countries beyond Nepal, primarily across Asia and the Middle East. Nepal is mainly a source country for men, women and children subjected to the forced labor and sex trafficking. U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons placed the country in "Tier 2" in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunita Danuwar</span>

Sunita Danuwar, is a Nepalese human rights activist and the founder of Sunita Foundation and Shakti Samuha, a non-governmental organization based in Nepal formed by women rescued from brothels in India that works against the trafficking of women.

Gender inequality in Nepal refers to disparities and inequalities between men and women in Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia. Gender inequality is defined as unequal treatment and opportunities due to perceived differences based solely on issues of gender. Gender inequality is a major barrier for human development worldwide as gender is a determinant for the basis of discrimination in various spheres such as health, education, political representation, and labor markets. Although Nepal is modernizing and gender roles are changing, the traditionally patriarchal society creates systematic barriers to gender equality.

Durga Sob is a Nepalese feminist activist. Sob also identifies as a Dalit and is the founder of the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) in Nepal. Sob works as a human rights activist in the country and a politician belonging to Nepal Socialist Party.

Sex trafficking in China is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the People's Republic of China. China, the world's second-most populous country, has the second highest number of human trafficking victims in the world. It is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sexually trafficked persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in Cambodia</span>

Sex trafficking in Cambodia is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Cambodia is a country of origin, destination and transit for sex trafficked persons.

References

  1. 1 2 "International Research Experience for Students and Young Researchers Program (IRE)" (PDF). Edu.kobe-u.ac.jp. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  2. 1 2 "Prevention of Trafficking and the Care and Support of Trafficked Persons" (PDF). Kathmandu, Nepal: The Asia Foundation. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  3. ↑ Barthwal-Datta, Monika (2012-05-04). Understanding Security Practices in South Asia: Securitization Theory and ... - Monika Barthwal-Datta - Google Books. ISBN   9781136322792 . Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  4. ↑ Barthwal-Datta, Monika (2012). Understanding Security Practices in South Asia: Securitization Theory and the role of non-state actors. pp. 97–98. ISBN   9781136322792 . Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  5. ↑ Sen, Sankar; Nair, P.M. "A Report on Trafficking in Women and Children in India 2002–2003" (PDF). NHRC – UNIFEM – ISS Project. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  6. 1 2 The Government of Nepal Ministry of Education Non-Formal Education Center (2009). "Inventory of Non-Formal Education Providers in Nepal" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Fisher, Alison. "The Good, the Bad, and the Well-Intentioned: Governmental Responsibilities, Nongovernmental Efforts, and Human Trafficking in Nepal" (PDF). Hamilton University. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  8. ↑ "Gaps Analysis on Intervention Strategies Against Trafficking in Women in Nepal" (PDF). Childtrafficking.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  9. ↑ "India". Hrw.org. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  10. ↑ "Convention on Girl Trafficking" (PDF). Sancharika.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  11. 1 2 3 Office of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Women and Children (2011). "Trafficking in Persons Especially on Women and Children in Nepal" (PDF). Lalitpur, Nepal: National Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-08-02. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  12. ↑ "ABC-Nepal interventions against girl-trafficking and HIV and AIDS in Morang district Eastern Nepal". Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  13. ↑ "JUDGES WORKSHOP ON COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN". Njanepal.org.np. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-02-04. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  14. ↑ "Best Practices on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Trafficked Women and Girls" (PDF). Kathmandu, Nepal. March 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  15. ↑ Crawford, Mary; Kaufman, Michelle R. (2008-08-01). "Sex Trafficking in Nepal". Violence Against Women. Vaw.sagepub.com. 14 (8): 905–916. doi:10.1177/1077801208320906. PMID   18667405. S2CID   34071177 . Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  16. ↑ "Nepal: Preliminary Mapping of Gender Based Violence" (PDF). The Asia Foundation. Kathmandu, Nepal. July 2010. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.