India shares amrita long and porous border with Nepal. India has a free movement treaty with Nepal. Poverty, conflict and volatile political situation is causing Nepalese to migrate to India in search of livelihood options. The traffickers take advantage of free movement and cover of migration to traffic women and children from Nepal. Women and children are being trafficked across the border from Nepal in to India in alarming growing number. The purposes of trafficking of women and children are for sex trade and forced labour. Traffickers lure the women and girls in the pretext of opportunity. An estimates shows that about 200000 Nepali girls are living in Indian brothels. Lack of access to information increases the risk for trafficking for sex work and forced labour and HIV-AIDS.
Border monitoring mechanism has been established by Govt. of India but there is lack of awareness about the magnitude of problems related to human trafficking.
The U.S. Department of States figure for 2004 shows that an estimated 600000 to 800000 persons been trafficked across international border each year , about 80% are women and girls and up to 50% are minor.
This proposed project will contribute to establish cross border transit level model. Transit points and transport hubs are strategic points where migrants can be interacted and trafficked victims can be identified and rescued. This project will work to establish an integrated partnership between NGOs and police. The project will be implemented in India, precisely in cross border transit points along INDO-NEPAL border of Uttarakhand , U.P. and Bihar.
Particular places where project will be implemented-
1- Banbasa in Uttarakhand (transit zone)
2- Sirsiya in U.P. which is changed to Aligarhwa (transit zone)
3- Gorakhpur in U.P. (transport hub)
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
1- Cross border migrants particularly women and children empowered to respond to the risk when faced with condition of vulnerability to trafficking.
2- Apparent trafficked cross border victims are identified, rescued and repatriated to Nepal and reintegrated to their families
3- Viable system and mechanism are in place at the cross border transit points and transport hub leading to safe and informed mobility among at risk migrants and trafficked victims are rescued and their rights safeguarded.
ACTIVITIES:-
1- 3 life guard centers will be established at transit points and transport hub.Transit points are:
Banbasa in Uttarakhand & Aligarhwa in Siddharthnagar , U.P.Transport hub is:Railway Station, Gorakhpur
These life guard centers will provide a one stop solution for the immediate need of migrants at risk. Migrants will be counseled about their legal rights ; information about safe migration channels , destination points, service providers and services available and gender awareness. These life guard centers will be operational in first month of project and continue till end of project.
2- The counselors based at life guard centers along with law enforcement officials will intervene with apparent trafficked victim Suspected persons will be counseled on their rights. Rescued victims will be taken to half way homes and after completion of formalities of repatriation victims will be repatriated to Nepal authorities for the reunion of victims to their families. This process will continue till the end of project.
3- Advocacy workshop for stakeholders:-
Project proposes advocacy workshop for stakeholders, i.e. police, SSB, railway and transport officials, media persons, labor department officials, recruitment agencies, immigration officials, border police stations,Royal Nepal Army and NGOs. This workshop will sensitize their attitude and catalyses them to nab the traffickers and rescue of trafficked women and children. This will also establish an interagency dialogue between Govt. and NGOs , related to the issue of safe migration, anti-trafficking and HIV-AIDS.
4- Networking with source and destination level NGOs:-
This project strongly propose the partnership building between NGOs working at source level i.e. Nepal and at destination level i.e. metro cities of India. Projects propose one meeting in 6 month for NGOs networking. Besides that informal information sharing and learning will be shared through e-mails and newsletters.
5- Training of rescued victims:-
Project propose training of rescued victims in marketable skills to rehabilitate them and provide them support for their livelihood. |
