WOMEN TRAFFICKING
TRAFFICKING
The definition of trafficking continues to be the subject of debate, and there is no conclusive or even commonly agreed upon definition globally, regionally or even nationally. This in itself is indicative of the degree of ideological contention which marks the discourse on trafficking and related issues. Absence of consensus on the definition has crucial implications on strategic planning and programme development since some of the definitions which inform concrete practice may be contradictory to each other. However, there are some basic elements of trafficking that are widely agreed upon, such as violence, deception, coercion, deprivations of freedom of movement, abuse of authority, debt bondage, forced labour and slavery-like practices, and other forms of exploitation or use of force.
The above elements are largely and commonly agreed upon, and trafficking is considered to be a violation of the basic rights of women and girls. The issue however, gets mired in controversy and confusion when prostitution too is considered as a violation of the basic human rights of both adult women and minors and equal to sexual exploitation.
Girl trafficking is one of the worst forms of human rights violations, of violence towards girls, of child labour and modern slavery. It is widely believed that per year 5000 to 7000 Nepali girls and women are brought to brothels, mainly in India. More than 20% of them are below 16 years old - with a rising percentage.
Due to a pervasive lack of female empowerment and an acute absence of overall awareness, Nepal is facing an enormous dilemma regarding the phenomenon of `girl trafficking', representing a major crisis in the country, especially as the threat of AIDS is spreading in the Himalayan kingdom. Defined as the enticement or abduction of women and girls into prostitution, it generally entails their being taken out of their familiar surroundings, escorted accross the border and sold to brothels, with the majority ending up in Mumbai's red light district.
TRAFFICKING
The definition of trafficking continues to be the subject of debate, and there is no conclusive or even commonly agreed upon definition globally, regionally or even nationally. This in itself is indicative of the degree of ideological contention which marks the discourse on trafficking and related issues. Absence of consensus on the definition has crucial implications on strategic planning and programme development since some of the definitions which inform concrete practice may be contradictory to each other. However, there are some basic elements of trafficking that are widely agreed upon, such as violence, deception, coercion, deprivations of freedom of movement, abuse of authority, debt bondage, forced labour and slavery-like practices, and other forms of exploitation or use of force.
The above elements are largely and commonly agreed upon, and trafficking is considered to be a violation of the basic rights of women and girls. The issue however, gets mired in controversy and confusion when prostitution too is considered as a violation of the basic human rights of both adult women and minors and equal to sexual exploitation.
Girl trafficking is one of the worst forms of human rights violations, of violence towards girls, of child labour and modern slavery. It is widely believed that per year 5000 to 7000 Nepali girls and women are brought to brothels, mainly in India. More than 20% of them are below 16 years old - with a rising percentage.
Due to a pervasive lack of female empowerment and an acute absence of overall awareness, Nepal is facing an enormous dilemma regarding the phenomenon of `girl trafficking', representing a major crisis in the country, especially as the threat of AIDS is spreading in the Himalayan kingdom. Defined as the enticement or abduction of women and girls into prostitution, it generally entails their being taken out of their familiar surroundings, escorted accross the border and sold to brothels, with the majority ending up in Mumbai's red light district.
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