When Rina B.K. was trafficked to India at the age of 14 and later rescued and brought back home to Nepal, life became even more difficult for her. As she pursued a legal battle in search of justice, society made her journey even harder. People, even those closest to her, began to view and treat her differently.
Because of the trauma she endured, caused by someone else’s malicious intent, B.K. was not accepted by her community. She was no longer treated like a normal member of society.
“After I was rescued and began fighting my legal case, even the police and my lawyer treated me inappropriately,” she recalls. “My lawyer once told me, ‘Once your case is closed, we’ll go on a date.’
Survivor voices and social stigma
The case of B.K. reflects how the very stakeholders responsible for helping her instead contributed to making her life even more difficult.
However, over time, B.K., now a member of Shakti Samuha, an organization that fights against human trafficking, has witnessed positive changes in how stakeholders handle trafficking cases.
“Unlike before, the privacy of survivors is now protected, a dedicated police unit has been established to address human trafficking, and survivors are better informed about their cases,” she says.
For B.K., things have comparatively improved, but it’s still “not enough.” She has found that even the younger generation continues to struggle with accepting survivors as normal members of society.
“We need a dignified life. We want people to treat us normally,” she says. “I urge stakeholders to educate the public to help survivors live dignified lives.”
For decades, human trafficking has remained one of Nepal’s most pressing issues. Even today, trafficking is taking on new forms. High-profile individuals, including the country’s Minister, have been accused of involvement in trafficking-related crimes.
Calls for greater accountability from stakeholders
According to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau of the Nepal Police, a total of 47 cases were recorded in the first month of the current fiscal year 2025/26, four of which involved minors. In the fiscal year 2024/25, 184 cases were recorded, with 80 involving minors. Similarly, in 2023/24, there were 216 recorded cases, 75 of which involved minors. In 2022/23, 232 cases were recorded, including 81 related to minors.
In 2019, Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission estimated that 1.5 million Nepalis were vulnerable to human trafficking. The commission’s 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report found a growing risk of human trafficking in all seven provinces and for people of all genders.
The United States’ 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report has downgraded Nepal from Tier 2 status to the Tier 2 Watch List, noting the country’s failure to criminalize all forms of labor and sex trafficking, prosecute traffickers, finalize victim identification and referral procedures, initiate victim compensation, or hold fraudulent labor recruiters accountable.
The growing threat of human trafficking clearly calls for greater accountability and sensitivity from all stakeholders involved. Until every stakeholder from parliament to police, from lawmakers to local leaders embraces full accountability, Nepal’s fight against human trafficking will remain performative at best.
Speaking at a panel discussion held on July 31 titled “Role of Stakeholders in the Victim Justice System and Mitigating Child Trafficking,” organized by Anahata Nepal, an organization working against human trafficking, Member of Parliament Shobha Gyawali admitted that stakeholders are not as sensitive to the issue as they should be.
“The government is always quick to sign international treaties, but it fails in implementation,” says Gyawali. “The concerned authorities are well aware of the seriousness of the issue, but they act as if they don’t know.”
Gyawali noted that trafficking is no longer limited to cross-border activity, as its methods and operations have evolved over time, with people from Dalit and minority communities increasingly becoming victims due to their vulnerable financial conditions that make them easy targets for traffickers.
Recently, Onlinekhabar reported on cases of internal trafficking, with a rising number of victims being rescued. According to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau of Nepal Police in the fiscal year 2021/22, 22 individuals were rescued from internal trafficking, including 14 minors. In FY 2022/23, 14 individuals were rescued, of whom four were minors. In FY 2023/24, 72 individuals were rescued, including 21 minors. In the fiscal year 2024/25, 198 individuals were rescued, among whom 90 were minors.
The same report also highlighted the legal outcomes of internal trafficking cases.
According to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau (AHTB), out of 10 internal trafficking cases filed at the Kathmandu District Court from 2020 to 2023, five resulted in full convictions. In these cases, perpetrators received prison sentences ranging from two to ten years and were fined between Rs 25,000 and Rs 100,000.
Four cases ended in partial convictions, with only some of the accused penalized, while others were acquitted. One case ended in acquittal, with the accused found not guilty.
Regarding justice for survivors, Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal of the Kathmandu District Court says the legal system now approaches trafficking cases with more sensitivity than in the past.
“Before the introduction of the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2007, the laws were solely focused on punishing perpetrators,” says Dhakal. “But the 2007 Act recognized the need to compensate survivors as well.”
According to Dhakal, courts generally strive to resolve trafficking cases promptly, but in some instances, delays occur due to case overload in certain courts.
Legal gaps
For a long time, voices have been raised calling for a reassessment and revision of the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act. According to a report by The Asia Foundation, the Act defines human trafficking too narrowly and fails to recognize the use of force, fraud, or coercion as essential elements of the offense.
“This confuses human trafficking with human smuggling, creating serious enforcement problems. Trafficked persons are considered crime victims under international law, while smuggled persons are not,” the report states.
Regarding the revision of the Act, Gyawali informed that it has already been revised and submitted to Parliament.
“We are still open to consultations with experts for further revisions,” she says. “Hopefully, the revised Act will be passed soon.”
While there is a dedicated unit to address the issue of trafficking, several organizations working against human trafficking, and ongoing efforts to revise the related laws, Ram Bhakta Ghimire, Ward Chair of Tokha Municipality–9—an area considered highly vulnerable to trafficking, speaks about the challenges that continue to impede efforts to mitigate the issue.
“Although we have made several efforts to mitigate trafficking, factors like non-cooperation from the owners of the house, restaurants, neighbors and witnesses, create obstacles to address the issue of trafficking.” says Ghimire.
Unless they cooperate well with us it is impossible to resolve such things, he adds.
