The concert, which will be organized in the capital on September 5, will feature Indian pop star Sunidhi Chauhan and Nepali stars Nima Rumba, Kranti Ale and Nalina Chitrakar. The event will be the first in a series of free “MTV EXIT Live in Nepal” concerts in Pokhara, Dharan and Hetauda. The Kathmandu concert will kick off at 5 p.m. at Jawalakhel stadium, and will be hosted by former Miss Nepal Malvika Subba, who is also the MTV Exit campaign´s ambassador in Nepal. The MTV EXIT campaign extends all across Asia.
Anti-trafficking organizations Maiti Nepal and ABC Nepal will provide information on how to combat human trafficking during the concerts. “I am incredibly proud to get to perform at this important concert,” Sunidhi Chauhan said. “I hope that through my music and involvement in the MTV EXIT campaign millions of people will learn about this tragic form of slavery.”
“Efforts to stop human trafficking have been hampered by the public´s lack of awareness about the severity of the problem,” said Kevin Rushing, USAID/Nepal´s Mission Director. “Victims of trafficking are often young men and women who are guilty of only wanting a better life. USAID is excited to fund this effort with MTV, in part because of their unique ability to reach out to millions of people and prevent Nepalis from becoming victims.”
Non-governmental organizations in Nepal estimate that as many as 15,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked to India annually, while 7,500 children are trafficked domestically for prostitution. In addition, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 Nepali girls become involuntary domestic workers each year within Nepal, according to the US Department of State´s 2009 “Trafficking in Persons Report”.
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