Kathmandu, August 28

Nepal Police is planning to set up a separate Human Trafficking and Transportation Control Bureau.

Central Police Spokesperson DIG Pushkar Karki said the bureau would be formed as part of the security body’s efforts to fight human trafficking, which had become a growing problem in the country. The plan also ensures trafficking victims greater access to services through capacity building of the law enforcement agency. It is the second largest criminal industry after drug trafficking in the world.

The latest US State Department 2017 Trafficking in Persons report states that Nepal is a major source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking. It also said that Nepali men women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour in Nepal, India, the Middle East, Asia, United States and Sub Saharan Africa in construction, mines, factories, domestic work, begging and the adult entertainment industry.

An 84-point Home Administration Reform Roadmap made public by Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma has also attached high priority to anti-human trafficking measures. As per the roadmap, the Ministry of Home Affairs is planning to depute police attachés to Nepali embassies in labour destinations with high number of Nepali migrant workers.

Arrangements are being made to depute police attachés in the embassies abroad, mainly the Gulf countries, to facilitate security of Nepali migrant workers, coordinate investigation of charges levelled against Nepalis hiding abroad and prevent people from being trafficked in the name of foreign employment. Scores of suspects in connection with human trafficking are still living in foreign countries. The provision of a police attaché is expected to help arrest of traffickers.

The ministry said the government had also decided to strengthen professional relations with foreign countries and international organisations, including INTERPOL and UNDOC, keeping in mind that crime knew no borders. As many as 6,100 women and children were reportedly trafficked from the country during the fiscal 2015-16, a report shows. The ‘Trafficking in persons’ National Report 2015/16 released by the National Human Rights Commission  showed that 98 per cent of the trafficking victims were women.

DIG Karki said most trafficking victims were lured by false promises of decent jobs and better lives abroad in the name of foreign employment. Key agents of smugglers comprise a range of individuals as well as agencies, including recruiting firms, education consultancies, marriage bureaus and cultural groups, among others.