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PART I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Introduction of Maiti Nepal

Maiti Nepal is a non-profit organization in Nepal dedicated to helping victims of sex

trafficking. Sex trafficking is a type of Human trafficking involving the recruitment,

transportation, transfer, harbour or receipt of persons, by coercive or abusive means for

the purpose of sexual exploitation. Currently, it operates a rehabilitation home

in Kathmandu, as well as transit homes at the Indo-Nepal border towns, preventive

homes in the countryside and an academy in Kathmandu.

Maiti Nepal ("maiti" meaning "mother's home" in Nepali) was established in 1993 by a

group of socially committed professionals like teachers, journalists and social workers to

fight against the social evils inflicted upon Nepalese females, such as domestic violence,

trafficking for flesh trade, child prostitution, child labour and various other forms of

exploitation and torture. Most of all, its special focus has always been on preventing

trafficking for forced prostitution, rescuing flesh trade victims and rehabilitating them.

This social organisation also actively works to find justice for the victimized girls and

women by engaging in criminal investigation and waging legal battles against the

criminals. It has highlighted the trafficking issue with its strong advocacy from the local

to national and international levels.

1.2. Objective of the study

The main purpose of this study is to increase our understanding regarding the various

contributions that Maiti Nepal has made to the lives of the Nepalese citizen and their

dedications to prevent them from being the victim of social evils. The study seeks to

accomplish the following specific objectives:

To explore the objectives and purposes of Maiti Nepal.

To gain an understanding of the various programs conducted by Maiti Nepal.

To be more aware about the social issues prevailing in Nepal.

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1.3. Significance of the study

The study of the working of Maiti Nepal is important both at the individual level and

national level. It helps one to understand the how such an organisation has been changing

the lives of the people being trapped in the web of social evil and how it has been

contributing in the national development and enhancing international recognition of the

country.

1.4. Research Methodology

This research study was initially started from the literature survey of the available data

collected from secondary sources. The research study follows a descriptive research

design as it intends to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it

exists at the time of the study. The secondary data has been obtained from various

newspaper articles obtained from library as well as websites. Moreover, the information

obtained from Wikipedia and annual report of Maiti Nepal and its website made a great

contribution to this study. Acquiring secondary data are more convenient to use because

they are already condensed and organized

1.5. Limitations of the study

Limitations of this study are as follows:

The information collected are mainly based on secondary data obtained from the

various internet sources.

Due to time constraint, as in depth analysis of the topic was not possible, it only

covers the major aspects of the working of Maiti Nepal.

This study is held for knowledge purpose only.

Finally, the load shedding of electricity is also limitation of the study.

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PART II

DATA ANALYSIS ANS PRESENTAION

2.1. Biography of Anuradha Koirala

Anuradha Koirala is a social activist and the founder and director of Maiti Nepal - a non-

profit organization in Nepal dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking. Born in 14

April 1949, Anuradha Koirala was brought up in a family that regarded providing

services for humankind as the best form of moral work. She studied in Saint Joseph

Convent School Kalimpong, India. At the school, sisters and mother further increased her

devotion towards the social work. For more than twenty years, she taught English at

various reputed schools of Kathmandu. Mother Teresa was the biggest source of

inspiration to initiate a mission for the betterment of humankind. Therefore, in 1993 Ms.

Koirala founded Maiti Nepal with the aim of providing services for both children and

women who have endured untold pain and suffering, often in silence. Children, girls and

women were being trafficked within and from Nepal for commercial sexual exploitation.

She set up Maiti Nepal with a vow to put an end to this heinous crime.

After establishing Maiti Nepal, she plunged into the service of humanity. Her first work

was setting up of a rehabilitation home so that she could provide a home to those who

have nowhere else to turn to. Now, Maiti Nepal has three prevention homes, nine transit

homes, two hospices and a high school. More than one thousand children are getting

direct services from Maiti Nepal every day. She made it possible with her firm

determination and exceptional leadership.

Maiti Nepal today conducts a wide range of activities. Conducting awareness campaigns,

community Sensitization, rescue operations, Apprehending Traffickers, providing legal

support to the needy, women empowerment programmes, providing anti retro viral

therapy (ART) to children and women infected by HIV are regular activities of Maiti

Nepal.

So far, Anuradha Koirala has been provided 30 national and international awards in

recognition of her courageous acts and lifetime achievement furthering the cause of

children's and women's rights. Some of the international awards include German

UNIFEM Prize 2007, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award 2007, The Peace Abbey, Courage

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of Conscience 2006 etc. Her achievements include liberating twelve thousand girls from

brothels, providing ART before the government of Nepal could initiate this process. Due

to her continuous struggle, Government of Nepal recognized anti –trafficking day, which

falls on 5 September. This endeavor was initiated by Maiti Nepal. She was also appointed

as a state minister as an honour to her contributions. Ms. Koirala loves spending time

with children; they say that they get a warmth of mother and a father. She is self

motivated person relishing new and dynamic challenges with a leadership role if required

in a team environment or independently.

On 23rd September Ms. Koirala was selected as Top-10 CNN Heroes. The global voting

through the website of CNN would determine CNN hero of the year. It was the result of

her struggle and compassion to fight the social evil of human trafficking, that CNN has

recognized her as a TOP 10 Hero of the world list. This honour to the daughter of Nepal

is a Pride for the Nation.

On 25th November 2010 she was declared as CNN Hero of the year through global on

line voting. Her victory as a CNN Hero is a pride and honour to the nation itself.

2.2. Objectives of Maiti Nepal

Advocate, conduct awareness campaigns, seek public support, and create social

pressure against the trafficking of children and women

Provide counseling, support and life skills to children and women at risk of being

trafficked.

Rescue trafficked children and women from exploitative conditions and repatriate

them and provide legal services, health counseling, and assistance to destitute women,

survivors of girl trafficking and victims of gender violence.

Rehabilitate survivors by providing them with education, counseling, and a safe home

Shelter orphans and destitute children and support their overall development.

2.3. Programs

There are four main types programs conducted by Maiti Nepal.

Prevention: operating prevention homes, running formal and non-formal education

programmes, providing vocational income-generating training and micro-credit,

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establishing community safety nets, promoting women’s empowerment and safe

migration, intercepting potential victims, and scaling-up initiatives

Advocacy: conducting mass community awareness campaigns, orientations and

trainings; training school teachers and students, establishing students-against-human

trafficking groups, establishing information and resource centers and community

outreach programmes, conducting cross-sectoral meetings and linking and

networking with line agencies

Rescue: securing release or withdrawal and facilitating repatriation

Rehabilitation: providing medical services and crisis counseling to survivors,

identifying families and reuniting them with their families, mainstreaming survivors

into formal education and providing them with life skills and gainful employment,

establishing self-help groups and conducting rights-based training, apprehending and

filing charges against offenders, reintegrating survivors into society and following up

on their progress

2.3.1. HIV AIDS program

2.3.1.1. Initiative hope

In September 2003, Maiti Nepal and its international support organisations and friends

united together under the campaign "Initiative Hope" to provide medical treatment to all

HIV/AIDS infected people who are at Maiti Nepal under supervision of a medical team.  

The main objective of this activity was to distribute modern anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy

to all HIV/AIDS infected girls sheltered by Maiti Nepal and to provide careful medical

monitoring of people taking ARV including regular testing of the viral load and CD4

cells and modifications in the therapy according to the results of the blood tests.

2.3.1.2. Sattighatta hospice

In April 1999 Maiti Nepal established a hospice in Sattighatta, Jyamirgadi VDC, Jhapa

District, five kilometers south of Kakarvitta to shelter survivors of trafficking who suffer

from various illnesses, including hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Its residents were

moved to Gokarna, Kathmandu district when Maiti Nepal’s Sonja Kill Memorial

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Hospice was opened in January 2006 and the Sattighatta  residents now houses survivors

of gender violence suffering from psychiatric disorders.

The hospice provides the residents with their basic needs including shelter, food, and

medical care and provides companionship and affection.  To promote long term healing

residents are encouraged to participate in vegetable farming, fish breeding and animal

husbandry.

Table 1.1. Recipient of service at Sattighatta hospice

Recipient of service 2008 2009 2010

Local 373 734 810

Children 182 352 435

Women 124 267 213

Men 67 115 162

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

2.3.1.3. Sonja Kill Memorial Hospice, Gokarna

This was established in January 2006 and was specially designed to introduce serenity

and dignity into the lives of survivors of trafficking and gender violence who are in poor

health and to provide them with holistic care. It meets their basic needs, including shelter,

meals, clothing and medical care, and offers them companionship and affection so they

can live out the rest of their lives in dignity and serenity. The hospice’s modern amenities

include 24-hour medical care, a balanced diet, and anti-retroviral treatment which

includes testing viral load and CD4 cells regularly. Residents not only receive medical

treatment but also participate in vocational handicraft classes like making bead necklaces

and bracelets. The on-location dairy farm supplies milk products and the residents

themselves grow seasonal vegetables for their own consumption. Yoga classes,

meditation and birthday celebrations are regular activities, as are deciding upon the daily

menu and going on trips.

2.3.2. Information, Resources and Documentation

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Information and Resource centre of Maiti Nepal was established in 2002 to disseminate

the information related to its activities. This centre is involved in collecting and

disseminating information related to children and women rights, welfare, exploitation,

trafficking and HIV/AIDS. This centre also provides the needed information through

email and fax. The centre has undertaken following activities:  

Publication of Maiti’s Newsletter; collection of data and information from the branch

offices; maintain newspapers clippings related to children and women issues and

collection of national and international publications related to women and children

issues

Dissemination of information to public on the issues related to children and women

issues through press release

Organisation of anti-trafficking awareness program in different areas and conduct

interaction programs with the visitors/trainees

2.3.3. Legal Assistance

Through its legal aid section in its central office in Kathmandu, Maiti Nepal provides

legal support to survivors of trafficking, handles referrals and deals with the several daily

requests for help in cases ranging from missing girls, rescue from brothels, incidents of

domestic violence, guardianship, child sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation,

trafficking, rape, polygamy and kinship. On average, it handles eight to ten cases of

domestic violence and two to three cases of missing children and girls every day.

Survivors of trafficking are assisted in registering FIR and pleading their cases in court.

Maiti Nepal extends its support until the district court reaches a decision and, if the

decision is unsatisfactory, an appeal is filed with the concerned appellate court through

the government attorney general office. Not all cases go to court, however, as Maiti

Nepal lawyers pursue informal and alternative methods of dispute resolution like

counselling, mediation and negotiation prior to litigation.

Table 1.2. Legal assistance provided by Maiti Nepal

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2008 2009 2010

Filed cases against

trafficking in district

courts, where final

decision is awaited

29 42 24

Reported cases of

gender violence,

605, 440 of which

were

resolved out of

court

710, 440 of which

were

resolved out of

court

656, 478 of which

were

resolved out of

court

Cases of missing girls

were reported,

934, 327 of which

were

located and

reunited with their

families

1103, 629 of

which were

located and

reunited with their

families

1226, 992 of which

were

located and reunited

with their families

Cases of rape were

filed in district courts

23 22 17

Individuals sought

legal counsel

577 1017 1446

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

Some of the domestic violence cases were forwarded to the National Women commission

and some civil cases were forwarded to the LACC, FWLD and Nepal Bar Association.

2.3.4. Prevention Home

Maiti Nepal’s three prevention homes run four- to six-month-long residential trainings

for up to 30 at-risk girls at a time. The comprehensive programme includes psychological

counselling and self-esteem-building activities; lessons in trafficking, health care, child

and women’s rights and social issues, and training in life and income-generating skills

such as sewing, candle making, tailoring, and handloom weaving. To motivate trainees to

become social activists, the package also promotes leadership, group formation,

communication and community mobilisation skills.

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Graduates are empowered to conduct awareness campaigns, in particular about the

methods of traffickers; vigilance in their communities; detecting warning signs and

preventing trafficking.

The three prevention homes are Chisapani, Nuwakot (est. March 1996), Hetauda,

Makwanpur (est. October 1997) and Bardaghat, Nawalparasi (est. March 1998).

Table 1.3. Activities performed by prevention homes

Activities

Chisapani,

Nuwakot

Hetauda,

Makwanpur

Bardaghat,

Nawalparasi

2008 200

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2010 200

8

2009 201

0

2008 2009 2010

Children and women

provided shelter

1 25 35 46 11

Cases on gender violence

settled

2 1 7 42 66 4 9

People informed and received

orientation training on

trafficking, HIV/AIDS, safe

migration

3350 360

2

1255 675 630 147

5

1805 1011 4150

Missing application received 7 5 39 31 89 29 20 36

Children and women found 2 9 10 36 5 4 12

Cases on gender violence

received

53 69 2 9

Case on rape filed 6 10 11 2

Cases on human trafficking

filed

1 2 3 2

Girls and women received

special training

20 14 54 55 84 48 20

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

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More over there is information and vigilance at Nagdhunga formed by Maiti Nepal with

eight-member surveillance team which was established in 2001 to help the police inspect

vehicles and provides information on safe migration to women migrants.

2.3.5. Advocacy and awareness program

As part of its prevention strategy, Maiti Nepal also reaches out to the community,

particularly adolescent girls, student, teachers, and VDC leaders. These programmes

attack one of the root causes of trafficking - ignorance. Girls learn about trafficking so

that they can avoid being tricked by strangers who come to their village and try to lure

them.

Awareness and advocacy campaigns against trafficking are intervention programme

designed to reduce the problem of trafficking in children and women and is in operation

in many parts of country.  The programme focuses on acquainting community about

situation and the risks their daughters and sisters could face at the hands of traffickers.

Involvement of young people as educators through plays, talk programmes, discussions,

songs, and real life stories not only gives trafficking a human face, but it also helps to

reduce stigma and discrimination by providing a forum for community members to

discuss the issue and build shared accountability for preventative action. Awareness

campaigns and advocacy work are significant features of Maiti Nepal\'s activities. Many

efforts have been made to highlight the issue and Maiti has received adequate press

coverage.  Major awareness campaigns are being organized in various districts-

Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot, Dhading, Makwanpur, Nawalparasi, and Rasuwa. Maiti

Nepal mobilized Padma Kanya (Girl\'s) College students, police, lawyers, journalists and

local people.

Women pressure groups were formed. Workshops on girl-trafficking, child prostitution

and AIDS were organized in each district to educate and generate awareness among key

groups of people like the politicians, police officers, chief district officers, medical

officers, journalists and local students.

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Table 1.4. Advocacy totals 2010

1206 Migrants informed on Safe migration

through District Administration Office

7400 people reached through mass awareness

1250 households reached through door-door

campaigns

48 (mass awareness campaigns) episodes of fm radio programme "Maiti ko

Sandesh" through Kantipur FM once a

week

(Source: Annual report 2010)

2.3.5.1. Advocacy On Safe Migration And Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives

The project aims to respond to the problems of human trafficking especially women and

children and to develop preventive and support measures in a gender sensitive and right

based approach for safe migration. Its goal is to make the community aware on Safe

Migration and Human Trafficking by providing information on the issues through

information desk, media partnership, youth/students/child groups partnership

programmes, and different community based activities.

The programme stands on the following objectives as an advocacy tool to combat human

trafficking and ensure safe migration:

Sensitizing community on the hazards of Human Trafficking, gender violence

through community based programme like orientation, training, wall paintings,

vehicle paintings, etc;

Strengthening the concern of local, district line Agencies/Stakeholders in finding

better ways to control the heinous problem of Human Trafficking through close

coordination and joint initiatives in conducting different programmes under the

project;

Building close rapport with community in initiating to prevent the problem of human

trafficking and to ensure safe migration.

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2.3.5.2. Youth Partnership Program

The Youth Partnership Program for child survivors and youth at risk of commercial

sexual exploitation of children and young people is a unique initiative in South Asia that

endeavours to have a positive psychosocial impact and improve the lives of affected

children. Through participation, peer support programmes, community awareness

campaigns and public advocacy, survivors and at-risk youth join hands to combat CSEC

in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. 

Large numbers of children are trafficked annually in South Asia, with estimates as high

as 350,000 in India, 40,000 in Nepal and 29,000 in Bangladesh. YPP aims to address the

concerns and suggestions voiced in the children's Statement of the 2nd World Congress

against CSEC (2001) organized in Yokohama, Japan through consultation with the three

Project Countries. The guiding principles for YPP have been adopted from UNICEF's

1998 principles of psychosocial intervention for children.  

Maiti Nepal is the YPP implementing partner of the ECPAT International in Nepal since

2005 A.D. Through this Programme Maiti Nepal has extended its work not just within its

shelter homes but also in various other local organizations, schools and communities to

ensure the better and meaningful participation of Children in all levels of decision

making to end commercial sexual exploitation of children and young people. Currently,

YPP has completed its second phase and in bridging towards the third phase. In all these

years, Youth and children involved in YPP have demonstrated an excellent and

meaningful participation and YPP as a programme has grown as a best practice of Maiti

Nepal. 

2.3.5.3. 'NAANI' Project

This project intends to make the entire community people of targeted areas aware on the

issue of human trafficking and its cross cutting themes gender violence, unsafe migration

etc. In each VDC (Village Development Committee) there will a female volunteer who

works closely with community people; parents, school dropped out girls/boys, students

farmers, teachers, representatives of local government bodies, political parties'  leaders

etc. Volunteer for respective VDC will be primarily recruited from former trainees of

Prevention Home Nuwakot and Makawanpur. If no any former trainees are available as

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volunteers, other girl(s) will be recruited. 'NAANI' initiates to make a change from grass

root level in terms of public knowledge on human trafficking and its hazards. 'NAANI' is

going to be implemented as a pilot project by Maiti Nepal.

The project 'NAANI' has the following objectives:

To impart knowledge and information to people about "Gender Violence", "Human

Trafficking" and "Safe and Unsafe Migration"

To sensitize community people on Gender violence and its hazards;

To unite children, youths, parents of targeted communities to combat  human

trafficking;

To reduce the incidents of human trafficking by conducting meetings, interactions in

communities

2.3.6. Rehabilitation / Reintegration

Rescued girls and women find it difficult to adjust to ordinary life: they are emotionally

and even physically scarred from their experience; they lack the self-esteem, education

and skills they need to live independently, and are often rejected by society. To ease their

reintegration into the community, Maiti Nepal runs two rehabilitation homes, one in

Kathmandu and one in Itahari, Sunsari District.

2.3.6.1. Rehabilitation home, Kathmandu

The primary function of Kathmandu rehabilitation home is to serve refuge for those in

immediate need and those who have been physically and/or psychologically scarred. Its

residents are a heterogeneous group which includes abandoned and lost children,

survivors of gender violence and rape, street children, and trafficked children and

women.

The home provides for their physical, psychological, and educational needs by arranging

non-formal and formal education; imparting vocational, income generating and life skills;

facilitating medical check-ups and treatment; conducting counselling and psychotherapy

sessions; filing cases against accused criminals, locating parents, and encouraging

residents to set up their own enterprises and become self-reliant. It even provides

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employment to a few residents. There are two institution involved with Kathmandu

rehabilitation home (Sonja Asha Griha and Sonja Balbalika Griha).

Table 1.5. Residents of Kathmandu rehabilitation home

2008 2009 2010

Total resident 341 285 255

Girls and women resident in Sonja Asha Griha 94 67 47

Children resident in Sonja Balbalika Griha 247 218 208

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

2.3.6.2. Rehabilitation home, Ithari

It was established in March 2002. Its non formal education programme is particularly

effective in

teaching residents reading, writing and arithmetic as well as addressing gender issues,

including gender violence, child and women’s rights, leadership, health, birth

registration, safe motherhood, early marriage, and HIV/AIDS. Its main activity is to

provide a six-month empowerment training in sustainable livelihoods in tailoring,

knitting sweaters and bags, embroidery, boutique management and modern vegetable

cultivation and floriculture. It has served 178, 195, 206 girls and women in 2008, 2009

and 2010 respectively.

2.3.6.3. Maiti Nepal Clinic

The Sonja Jeevan Kendra (clinic) was established in 2001 to provide medical services to

the children, girls and women who reside at the Kathmandu Rehabilitation Home. Its

services include providing general health checks and medical screening, medical,

nursing, and psychological care, moral support, and basic emergency treatment;

prescribing and dispensing medicine; monitoring anti-retroviral treatment, taking patients

to hospitals for out-patient services, complex investigations, surgery and major medical

emergencies. It has the capacity to conduct basic laboratory tests, including determining

total and differential blood counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hemoglobin level,

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blood group, VDRL, HIV status, and hepatitis B infection as well as carrying out routine

microscopic examinations of urine and stool and the Monteux test. 

The clinic has 38 beds and is supervised by a full-time medical doctor who is supported

by one staff nurse, one health assistant, two community medical auxiliaries, one

laboratory assistant and five clinic helpers. 

It served 1933, 1020 and 1050 residents of the Home in 2008, 2009 and 2010

respectively. It also provided the services to the general public such as free health camp

and distributed medicine free of cost; ambulance services; participated in awareness

programme about HIV/AIDS; administering polio drops to all child residents under five;

ENT and dental camp for residents of Sonja Jeevan Kendra and blood donation

programmes.

2.3.6.4. Repatriation

Maiti Nepal focuses on addressing the problem of trafficking in children and women by

intervening at the rescue and rehabilitation levels. Maiti Nepal works with the Indian

government that includes Indian Police and NGOs to improve rescue and repatriation

operations and create more effective ways of getting children and women return to home.

This program endeavors to serve those who have been trafficked by releasing trafficked

children and women from exploitative situations and reaching the girls at the transit

homes to ensure safe passage of girls in their journey to their final destinations

2.3.6.5. Maiti Halfway Home

The small hotels, restaurant sector, massage parlors in Nepal have emerged as a visible

intermediary supply site in the context of internal as well as cross-border trafficking of

girls and young women. The last 5-6 years have seen an unprecedented number of

women and girls entering employment as workers in dance, cabin restaurants and

massage parlors in Nepal.

This has in somehow helped in the economic independence of the girls/women but on a

larger part put a threat to the life of the girls/women making them vulnerable to different

forms of abuse/exploitation and moreover hampering their social development.

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As a matter of fact, Maiti Nepal established a Half-way Home in October 2009 with the

objective to provide a safe shelter home to the girls (below the age of 18) withdrawn from

these sectors and then rehabilitate, provide an alternative livelihood to bring them to a

mainstream society. Since its establishment, the Home has provided shelter to twenty-

nine girls. Among them 21 girls underwent different types of trainings while the rest

stayed for a couple of days and went back home.

During the period of November 2009 to December 2010:

Six girls undertook bakery training at GATE (Global Academy for Hospitality and

Tourism Education). Out of them three have been placed into jobs at various

institutions.

Six girls underwent basic sewing training. Among them, one is working in the

workshop; one is working at GATE after undergoing another training on house-

keeping while the rest have been re-integrated into their family with a sewing-

machine each.

Six girls completed training on house-keeping. Among them, four girls were recruited

in one of the five stars hotel at Kathmandu whereas two are still looking for a job but

they continue to work in the workshop.

Two girls preferred to receive on-the-job training for making bead items at

Kathmandu.

One girl enrolled in the school for formal education but after a while dropped out due

to her family restrictions.

As to keep the girls refreshed, several recreational activities were also conducted such

as taking them for visit at various sites, picnics.

The girls also undertake active roles in raising awareness against human trafficking

by performing street dramas during the awareness campaigns.

Apart from the above activities, to enhance their capabilities, the girls also learn to

play musical instruments and as well learn English language

2.3.7. Transit homes

If preventive measures fail, Maiti Nepal sometimes manages to intercede in the throes of

trafficking or to free girls from brothels. Rescued girls are housed in eight transit homes,

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located in the border towns of Kakarvitta, Bhairahawa, Pashupatinagar (Illam),

Biratnagar, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, Dhangadi, Mahendranagar and Mahespur (Nawalparasi)

where a little vigilance can have significant payoffs.

They provide safe shelter as well as counselling, medical check-ups and non-formal

education classes to rescued girls and write up the history and profile of each, trace

parents or guardians and arrange reunions, identify and file criminal cases against

traffickers and work with police to intercept potential victims and apprehend criminals.

Rescued girls have formed surveillance teams which have been instrumental in helping

police identify criminals and have served as a major deterrent to trafficking. They also

raise public awareness and mobilise concerned citizens to fight against trafficking.

Requests for help to locate missing girls, rescue girls from brothels and provide legal

advice in cases of domestic violence and polygamy number about six or seven every

week in each transit house.

  

Table 1.6. Activities of transit home

2008 2009 2010

Interceptions achieved 1615 1521 2478

Migrants Informed 63248 25615 66052

Victims rescued 82 86 64

Found/Missing 90/482 109/579 168/1006

Gender based violence cases resolved 84/93 138/181 208

Human Trafficking cases initiated 10 22 18

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

2.3.8. Education support

2.3.8.1. Edification at Teresa Academy, Kathmandu

To provide the formal education and all-round development of orphans, under-privileged

children and children at high risk of being trafficked, the founder of Maiti Nepal, Mrs.

Anuradha Koirala established Teresa Academy in 1998. Since then the academy is

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committed to providing a positive childhood in an intellectually stimulating learning

environment through varied activities.

Table 1.7. Structure of students at Teresa Academy

2008 2009 2010

Total students 306 266 400

Girls 70% 70%

Children who reside at Maiti Nepal’s Kathmandu

rehabilitation home

183 126 171

From boys hostel 23 20 -

From the missionaries of charity 6 9 10

From organisation for street children and conflict

victim children

5 12 113

Day scholars 89 98 106

Students who are provided uniforms, books and

stationery free of cost

34 43 74

(Source: Annual report 2008/09/10)

2.4. Highlights of social contribution made by Maiti Nepal

Some of the highlights of the activities and contribution made by Maiti Nepal can be

listed as follows.

A. CSEC Caregivers' Refresher Training and Workshop on Child Protection

A refresher training and workshop was organized for the categories who had already

participated in care givers' training held in past years. A total of 17 caregivers who work

directly with children is selected partner organizations of Maiti Nepal participated in the

program. The caregivers' training on children protection was aimed at helping the

caregivers to build up their skills in appropriate psycho-social recovery of the children

who have been subject to the sexual exploitation including confidence building,

specialized care services for a holistic rehabilitation process; network development and

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advocacy tools, as well as specific techniques for the long term recovery of survivors;

participatory methodology in working with children, developing models of good

practices in care provision shelter, outreach services, therpecific group work and informal

education program.

B. Surveillance and Monitoring at Tribhuwan International Airport

To address the growing concern of Nepalese girls and women being trafficked to Gulf

countries for labour, Maiti Nepal initiated the surveillance and monitoring at Tribhuwan

International Airport to save the potential trafficking victims.

C. CSEC Cross Border Micro Project

Under the Cross Border Micro project, a joint initiative of the youth Nepal and India who

are affiliated to the Youth Partnership Project for the child survivors and Youth at Risk of

Commercial sexual Exploitation in South Asia-Nepal(YPP), a meeting with local

stakeholders was carried out by the YPP Youth at Kakarvita. An awareness raising Road-

Show on cross border trafficking was held at Kakarvita. The team and Youth from Nepal

participated in the press meeting organized by Indian YPP youth at Siliguri. The YPP

team and Youth from Nepal participated in the Rally that called for Ending Sexual

Abuse/Exploitation of Children that started from Siliguri Junction.

D. Rescue from Khasa

Chairman of Maiti Nepal Anuradha Koirala has claimed that the Tibet Autonomous

Region of China and Macau have been developing as a new hub for trafficking of Nepali

women, source Republica January 26. She said that the problem will assume epidemic

proportions if immediately steps are not taken to control it. They have rehabilitated three

girls rescued from Khasa region and set up check posts on the northern border for the first

time responding to the demand of the locals. The check post to be set up near Tatopani

customs office would be the first formal unit of Maiti Nepal on the Sino-Nepal border. It

has 10 such units along the Indo-Nepal border.

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E. Youth partnership festival organized in Kathmandu

On 6th April 2011 Youth Partnership Program celebrated it successful completion of its

second phase through the YPP youth festival with the slogan of “promoting youth power”

in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The total of 178 participants included representatives from government of Bangladesh,

India and Nepal, members of SAIEVAC Governing board, INGOs, NGOs, Press media

and youth involved in YPP from Bangladesh, India and Nepal participated for the

celebration of the festival.

This festival was an opportunity for youth to share the outcomes and good practices of

the youth led activities.

The president made a positive response on the initiative taken by the young people to end

the commercial sexual exploitation of children in South Asia and other forms of

exploitation against children. He also gave his commitment towards the issues raised by

the children against CSEC and sex trafficking of young people.

F. Maiti Nepal celebrated International Women's day with a week long programme

Maiti Nepal celebrated 101st Women’s Day on 8th March 2011 with a week long activity.

The activity was based on the slogan for this year’s Women’s Day which reads: “Equal

access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for

women”. Maiti Nepal this year focused on awareness raising program addressing issues

of women empowerment as well as human trafficking. With the active participation of

transit homes based on various Nepal-India boarders, Maiti conveyed its message in and

across the border. The flex, banners and pamphlets were used to transfer messages more

effectively among a larger population.

G. Lives Saved From Being Trafficked

Thirteen girls from various districts of Nepal have been rescued on Thursday, 24th

February 2011. The girls were rescued by Boudha Police. They have been handed over to

Maiti Nepal for interim shelter and rehabilitation. The girls are mostly from districts like

Nepalgunj, Illam and Jhapa. According to the rescued girls, some of them claimed of

being verbally abused by the agents and locked up for days.

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H. Transit home contributions

Transit home Pashupatinagar, Ilam made intercepted 7 girls and women belonging to

neighboring districts of them belonging to dalits and janajatis, preceded 5 cases of

domestic violence, dealt with 1 missing cases and provided information on safe migration

to 39 people during the month of January 2011.

Similarly, Transit Home Birgunj, during the month of January to March 2011, intercepted

26 girls and women belonging to various districts. Majority of them are dalits and

janajatis, proceeded 5 cases of domestic violence dealt with 10 missing cases and

provided information on safe migration to 444 women and children.

Likewise during the month of January to March 2011, Transit home Kakarvhitta

intercepted 47 girls who hail from janajatis and dalits communities, dealt with 27 cases of

missing and provided information on safe migration to 111 people

Similarly during the month of January and February 2011, Transit home Biratnagar

intercepted 9 girls who hail from janajatis and dalits communities, dealt with 6 cases of

missing, proceeded 1 case of domestic violence and provided information on safe

migration to 115 people

2.5. Donors of Maiti Nepal

Major financial supporters of Maiti Nepal are Art Venture, Asia Foundation, Bono Direct

Association, Chance Swiss, Christliche Ostmission, Danish Embassy, ECPAT

International, European Commission, Friend’s of Maiti Nepal-USA, Initiative Hope,

Laligurans Maiti Japan, Provita, Radio Television Luxemburg, Save The Children US,

Sonja Kill Foundation, UNDP, UNHCR, VEBW-Germany, UNFPA, Ayuda Foundation,

Red Electrica and Lutheran World Federation

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PART III

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

3.1. Conclusion

Maiti Nepal, based in Kathmandu, was founded in 1993 to serve a particularly vulnerable

population of Nepali women and girls. Its mission is to combat exploitation, violence

and trafficking of children and women. This organization was established not only to

protect and rescue the victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence but also to pave

the road into resurrection to those helpless victims. The organization provides voice to

these voiceless and helps to rehabilitate the victims of sex trafficking back into the

society. It works to provide comprehensive prevention and rehabilitation programs

through education, empowerment, health and social inclusion.

Maiti Nepal was established by a group of socially committed professionals who devoted

their lives to work together to fight against sex-trafficking and forced prostitution.

Anuradha Koirala, who has been a pioneer in leading this fight, is the founder and

director of this organization. Ms. Koirala, herself a victim of domestic violence, helps the

victims by providing them all the assistance that they require in order to recuperate them

from their sufferings and to help them lead a healthy and respectful life back in the

society.

Maiti Nepal prevents poor girl’s form being lured to brothels by educating and informing

them. This organization takes care of and supports girls who have been held in brothels in

India, and has a special hospital for girls who have been infected with HIV. Some of

these girls have become “Maiti Border Guards”, who stop girl-traffickers when they try

to bring girls to India.

Maiti Nepal currently accommodates around 400 women and children and most of the

staffs who work there day in and day out to help those victims were themselves victims

of sex trafficking at one time and they have now devoted their time and are committed to

help rehabilitate the victims.

By raiding brothels, patrolling the India-Nepal border and providing safe shelter and

support services, Ms. Koirala and Maiti Nepal have helped rescue and rehabilitate more

than 12,000 Nepali women and girls since 1993.

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We salute Anuradha Koirala, a true humanitarian, for all the work that she has done and

hope that her work inspires others as well to work for the well-being of others.

3.2. Recommendations

Even though the work done by Maiti Nepal has been very commendable however we

have come up with few suggestions that will further help in their noble cause.

Various measures to tighten the Indo-Nepal border should be adopted so that it

would be impossible to traffic the girls across the border and compel them into

forced prostitution.

The government should table bills to make primary education mandatory for all

the Nepali children so that they can distinguish between the good and the evil.

The culprits of this heinous crime should be dealt with severely and proper and

suitable punishment should be provided to them so that it would discourage others

from doing similar kinds of activity.

Adequate jobs should be made available in Nepal itself so that the girls will not be

lured into going across the border and made to work against their will.

Government should work in tandem with Maiti Nepal to publicize this problem and

various means should be adopted for this purpose so that the information can be provided

to as many people as possible.