A host of media representatives, civil society organizations and NGOs from India and Nepal virtually assembled to discuss the gaps and challenges of cross border Indo-Nepal Human Trafficking and create a platform to dialogue with policymakers to formalise SOP between the countries.

The meeting was organized by Caritas India, which is working at the Indo-Nepal cross border areas to combat human trafficking through its Swaraksha anti-Human trafficking (AHT) program. The goal of this program states that every woman, children & youth live a dignified life free from Human trafficking and any kind of abuse. The program succeeded in sensitizing and creating a strong convergence with Law enforcement agencies like Anti Human Trafficking Units Police & Border forces of Indo-Nepal to curb human trafficking.

Three years ago, a cross border network was formed through the Caritas India initiative to create a bilateral dialogue among all stakeholders so that the issues of Indo-Nepal Human trafficking of vulnerable people can be considered as one of the prime agendas for both the government. The objective was to raise the issue at the high levels so that a collective voice can reach before the policymakers to formalize the Standard operating procedure or an MoU between both the nations with special clauses for the first responders and other stakeholders involved in combating human trafficking.

The meeting was conducted to develop the coordination among all the stakeholders where media will be key a stakeholder and become the voice of the victims, survivors, stakeholders to curb human trafficking. In this initiative, Caritas connected with the first Human Rights Freelance Journalist from Delhi & Kathmandu and shared its four years initiative with three partners in India & one partner in Nepal to curb Human Trafficking.

“Being the first youtube channel of India to address the Human Trafficking issue it’s a privilege for Swaraksha AHT program that the Gaps & challenges can be easily shared at the policy level,” says Pari Saikia who is an independent investigative journalist from India. Pari is a recipient of the Grand Prize of the European Commission’s Lorenzo Natali Media Prize 2021 for her story on the trafficking of Rohingya women. In association with YouTube and Google News Initiative, she is creating India’s first human trafficking news channel. She is one of the 49 journalists worldwide to receive this grant from YouTube.

Mr. Animesh, Program Associate, Caritas India informed that the new phase of Swaraksha AHT Program Caritas India will focus on initiating the MoU or SOP among both the nations and in this Indo-Nepal Network media engagement will be done from both the countries as media is one of the Pillars of Indian Democracy & it has the power to sensitize the Policymakers. He stressed that we are hopeful that this initiative of Caritas India and the Indo-Nepal Network will not only raise their voice to formalize the SOP but also prepare the Policymakers to come up with a concrete plan the curb cross border Human trafficking. He said that we need to work with the govt. on the recommendations suggested in US TIP report for overcoming the gaps & challenges.

DEHAT partner team presented the pre and post-human trafficking trends at the Indo-Nepal border and the Initiatives are taken under Swaraksha AHT Program amidst Covid-19. The finds were shocking as a big difference is seen in human trafficking cases before and after the Covid-19 Outbreak.

Shri Keshav Koirala, from Maiti Nepal, a non-profit organization in Nepal working with the victims of human trafficking welcomed this initiative and added that it can become the voice for strong rehabilitation. Ruja from Swatantra Abhiyan, Nepal shared how the Nepal commission for rights of Child is very much concerned about child Protection in Nepal and the media engagement will surely help the children. Similarly, Sister Taskila from Good Shepherd sisters International appreciated the initiative and informed about the development of the ten years National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking in Nepal with like-minded NGOs. Sister Anthonia from Opportunity village Network also appreciated this kind of media engagement and said that we need a frequent meeting to know the initiatives & results.

Pari Saikia expressing her views on rising cases of Indo-Nepal human trafficking cases said: “Caritas India has taken a big responsibility to address the Indo-Nepal Human trafficking issue and together we can put some brake on the cases in the days to come.” She requested all NGOs to be very fair and committed to sharing the authentic data & reports with case studies that can help in developing the documentaries & news clipping for sharing with the Govt. & Policymakers.

Bashant Khadka, a foreign affairs journalist associated with Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. (Nagarik Daily), one of the leading news organizations of Nepal based in Kathmandu, Nepal shared his views on the role of media in raising the voice of this collaboration and assured that this media engagement will help us in bridging the gap among the NGOs & other Govt. Stakeholders for joint actions to come up with policy-level changes. Nirmala Subedi from PRC Nepal, Nirmala from catalyst and Devyani from DEHAT also joined the meeting to express their commitment to addressing the issue of HT with all like-minded NGOs with Media as well.

The participants discussed involving NGO and Media partners from India and Nepal and plan to draft SOP by involving representative and foreign Affairs Ministry of both countries. They have also suggested formulating a concrete action plan for the future course of action.