KATHMANDU, Sept 6: Her face showed not only exhaustion but also deep uncertainty about the future. Traffickers had taken her abroad through India. Police and NGOs rescued her and brought her back to Nepal, but the lack of rehabilitation has left her life in crisis. She is Sapana Sharma (name changed). She escaped the dark prison, but living a dignified life remains out of reach.
“I dreamt of earning abroad, but when I returned, not even my dream was left,” said a woman who was trafficked to a Gulf country and later rescued. After her rescue, no one arranged for her to stay in a safe house. She feared going home because society rarely accepts daughters who have been trafficked. Without medical treatment, psychosocial counseling, or skill-based training, she now spends her days in a rehabilitation center.
On Friday, Nepal marked the 19th National Day Against Human Trafficking with the slogan: “Let all three levels of government unite; together we can end the vicious cycle of human trafficking.” But voices like Sapana’s remain unheard.
“Yes, they rescued me, but where do I go now? How do I survive? That is my worry,” she said.
Another woman faces a different problem due to a lack of legal identity. She is a third-year law student (BA LLB), but she has no Nepali citizenship. Authorities rehabilitated her five or six years ago, but even today, she has no identity. She said, “Since my rehabilitation, my biggest problem has been legal identity. In college, I have been deprived of scholarships. The college also sends students abroad for practice programs, but without citizenship, I cannot go. I cannot even participate in quota systems. That means I am denied not only educational opportunities but also the basic right to live like an ordinary person. These issues are serious barriers in my life.”
She added that her rehabilitation center has been trying to help her obtain a legal identity and citizenship. “When I do presentations in class and try to work on my personal growth, I always feel this problem pulls me backwards. Because of it, I do not feel confident,” she said.
“Recently, I heard news that children could obtain citizenship in their mother’s name, but then I learned there are still problems with that provision. If I could get citizenship through my mother, it would make life easier for me,” she said.
Rising incidents of human trafficking
Different organizations present varying data on trafficking, but the picture is the same: thousands of women and girls are trafficked from Nepal every year, and incidents are increasing. According to the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, Nepal Police rescued 127 victims from different parts of Nepal and abroad in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25.
The Ministry’s “National Report on Combating Trafficking in Persons 2081,” released Wednesday, stated that rehabilitation centers in 10 districts rescued and rehabilitated 758 people, while NGOs in those districts supported 2,732. In total, 3,490 victims were rescued and rehabilitated.
Similarly, information centers at border points, especially along the Nepal–India border, worked with Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and other agencies to rescue and return 4,300 people identified as being at risk of trafficking. Among them were 2,766 women (64.3 percent), 1,436 girls (33.4 percent), 15 men (0.4 percent), and 83 boys (1.9 percent).
These centers also provided counseling services to 77,500 people against human trafficking, said Ministry spokesperson Chakra Bahadur Budha.
The report also said 17 girls were trafficked and 46 abducted last year. Across Nepal, 6,590 children (72 percent girls, 28 percent boys) went missing. Authorities, including Nepal Police, the Child Search Center, and the Child Helpline, located 5,831 of them and reunited them with their families.
Officials said they are drafting a National Policy and National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons, which will be finalized after consultations with federal, provincial, and local agencies, civil society, and survivors.
Under the Community-Police Partnership Program, the Ministry formed around 24,000 committees in all 753 local governments. These committees raise awareness against violence against women, drug abuse, cybercrime, disasters, rape, human trafficking, suicide, child marriage, polygamy, and dowry practices. They also run school outreach programs, sports activities, and fire prevention campaigns to build trust between communities and police.
Legal provisions limited to paper
The Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2007, prioritizes rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration. The Act also mandates safe houses, rehabilitation centers, and skill-based training through the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.
However, rights activists say most provisions remain only on paper. Parliament has yet to pass the first amendment to the Act, registered in March 2025. Activists have urged lawmakers to pass it quickly.
Charimaya Tamang, founding member of Shakti Samuha, called for the bill to include strong provisions for victim rescue and return procedures. “Laws exist, but they are not implemented. The trend is to rescue and then abandon. Rescue without rehabilitation is incomplete,” she said.
She added that the Social Security Act should also support survivors. “A survivor is mentally disturbed and cannot work immediately. If the Social Security Act addressed this gap, survivors could live more easily,” she said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh called for organized efforts against trafficking at every ward and neighborhood level, involving political leaders and party workers. “Human trafficking and transportation are global crimes. Nepal’s Constitution guarantees that no one shall be trafficked or enslaved, making it a fundamental right. The state has a duty to control trafficking and protect victims’ rights,” he said.
He added that the government is working seriously, and prevention will be easier with cooperation from NGOs and all stakeholders.
Stigma from family and society
Another major challenge for rescued women is social stigma. Many families say their daughters were “trafficked” rather than “went abroad,” which causes further trauma. Rights activist Tamang said, “When society rejects victims, the risk of suicide or re-entering unsafe work increases. Without psychosocial support, rehabilitation is impossible.”
She also raised concerns about survivors’ privacy. “Recently, when survivors returned to society, their physical and mental stress was not respected, and their privacy was breached. A survivor should be recognized simply as a citizen, nothing more, nothing less,” she said.
Without rehabilitation, victims fall back into risk
Three years ago, authorities rescued a young woman and placed her in a safe shelter for a short time. After the program ended, she returned to her village. Pressured by her family and society, she decided to migrate again. Although she tried legal channels for foreign employment, debts pushed her back into the hands of brokers. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
This case shows that without proper rehabilitation, victims face the risk of being trafficked again.
Pushpa Devi Rai, an official at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, said the Ministry prioritizes trafficking cases and responds immediately when receiving information. A national committee under the Secretary coordinates rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
She admitted, however, that limited resources prevent them from helping everyone. Many victims and their children still lack citizenship or birth certificates. She said the Ministry is coordinating with District Administrations to solve these issues, with NGOs also playing a role.
She stressed that local governments must take the lead. “Local governments are closest to the people. If they become more active, incidents will decrease. Prevention is better than cure,” she said.
Anuj Luitel, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator at Shakti Samuha, said the organization has been rescuing and rehabilitating victims since its founding. “We support victims with shelter, safe housing, and holistic rehabilitation based on their qualifications and needs,” he said.
Since 2022, Shakti Samuha has carried out many activities for prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation. It has provided shelter to 2,014 survivors, supported 239 with education, completed 1,009 anti-trafficking activities with 1,420 participants, assisted 1,808 survivors after they left shelters, and supported 178 in livelihood programs.
Rescue alone is not enough
Experts stress that fighting trafficking requires more than just rescue. Long-term rehabilitation, safe housing, health care, skill development, employment opportunities, and psychosocial counseling are equally important.
“Without rehabilitation, rescue is only temporary relief. The real solution is to make victims self-reliant and able to live a dignified life,” rights activist Tamang said.