95 children among 200 saved from being trafficked

Published On: December 13, 2018 01:02 PM NPT By: RAJENDRA BHATTA

Representational Image / File Photo

MAHENDRANAGAR, Dec 13: Children were among the 200 people who were rescued by Maiti Nepal in 2018 from Gadda Chauki and Dodhara Chandani bailey bridge of Kanchanpur district. Of the 200 people rescued and reunited with their families, 95 were children (24 boys and 71 girls). The remaining 105 are women.

Those rescued were handed over to their respective families, according to Maheshwari Bhatta, coordinator of Kanchanpur district for Maiti Nepal.

"One way or the other, those who were rescued, were lured by agents for human trafficking in India," Bhatta said adding that they had discovered so during their inquiry.

The women and children were lured for good jobs, marriage, and foreign employment. According to the district's data, 49 women and children were rescued from being trafficked. Of the 200 rescued people, 112 are from Sudur Paschim Province.

District wise data shows that of those rescued, 37 are from Kanchanpur, 32 from Kailali, 19 from Achham, 6 each from Baitadi and Bajura, 1 from Doti, 2 from Bajhang, 4 from Dadeldhura, 5 from Darchula.

In the year's time, the majority (167) of those rescued said that they were heading to India while others said that they planned to travel to Australia (4), Iran (15), Kyrgyzstan (11), Poland (1), Dubai (1), and Kuwait (1).

"Everyone who planned to go to India was under suspicion. In addition, the plans to go to a foreign country via India was illegal as well as dangerous," Bhatta said. Likewise, Maiti Nepal also rescued 10 people from Punjab, New Delhi, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune, India and handed them over to their families.

Likewise, 29 out of 158 people who were reported as lost were found and reunited with their families.

Maiti Nepal said that women and children continued to become victims of human trafficking as traffickers lured them for better employment and living conditions. Other factors include family pressure, domestic violence and misuse of social media.

Bhatta added that rescuing people was becoming difficult when families, themselves, were found to be involved in human trafficking. "There are cases where family members themselves ask us to release their loved ones," she said adding that ending the human trade was becoming more challenging and therefore called for united action and awareness.