The information of two Nepali youths crossing the Indo-Nepal border from Nepal with two young women reached partners staff of Caritas India. The tip was shared with the authorities and moments later, SSB Force personnel deputed at the border and the team members of the DEHAT  intercepted the Nepali girls at the border based on the information.

While questioning the first girl Apsara Sai (name changed) age 19 years shared that she is from Banke  Nepal and the second girl Samikhsa  (name changed) age 18 years is from Bardiya,  Nepal. The interception booth staff were informed that they are going with the boys to India who are waiting for them at the bus stand go to India but they were unaware where they are going. This created suspicion in the team and they speeded towards the bus stand which was half a kilometer from the interception booth. After thorough enquiry, the boys eventually shared that they were planning to marry these girls in Lucknow at their relative’s place from there they had a plan to travel to Delhi. What is more doubtful is the fact that no one was holding any valid document of Identity which suspected the case of Human Trafficking.

Without having any identity card, it was difficult to reach out to the parents or guardians of the girls.   On the mutual consensus between the SSB and the Partners Team, it was decided to hand over the girls to the Nepal Police for proper investigation. Further, the girls were handed over to Nepal NGO Shanti Samuh and the youth was sent under the custody of Nepal Police. In this entire Rescue, Border Forces played an Important Role with Caritas India Partner DEHAT who is Implementation Swaraksha AHT Program.

Citizens from Nepal work abroad especially girls and women from rural areas who have limited economic opportunities which makes them most vulnerable to the tricks of the trafficking. Caritas India Swaraksha Anti-Human Trafficking Program focusses on minimizing Indo-Nepal Human Trafficking cases and in the last four years, the partners had proven so. The Partners focused on the Goal of the Program which says every women and child should live a dignified life without fear of being Trafficked. Eventually, it can be said that this program is on the verge of achieving the goal in the areas where there is a presence of the Partners team.

For the last one year, the whole world is under the clutches of the deadly Pandemic Covid-19  which has created a high alert on the Indo-Nepal Trafficking’s scenario. Job losses and Business losses had compelled vulnerable families especially women and young boys and girls to move outside the country for earning. The Situation of Human Trafficking from the Impact of Covid-19 was presumed by partners for which they triggered several awareness and sensitization meetings with Community and Stakeholders as a result of which the intentions of Perpetrators are ruined and they are unable to Transport the lives of Human bring for their profit. Every week meetings are called at the Indo- Nepal Border area with different stakeholders like border forces, SSB in India and APF in Nepal, AHTU, DCPU and NGOs working to prevent Human Trafficking.

Caritas India Partner PGSS and DEHAT are on the high alert at the two big Transition Points Sanauli and Rupaidiha where every day thousands of people from Nepal cross the border to travel to India for work.  Since the ease in lockdown in India, the movement of Nepali for work in India is also increased. To check this surveillance and movement, Interception booth teams are operational and are intercepting every suspected movement. This can be the result of rigorous meetings with the core group which was constituted two years back through the efforts of PGSS at Sonauli and Thoothi bari border. These meetings are working as the change factor at the border where different agencies are joining hands to combat Human Trafficking. The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the District has also started Patrolling at the unguarded borders and local buses with the Partners team to ensure the suspected cases of Human trafficking.

In a recent meeting organized by PGSS at the Jhulnipur Border out Post of SSB chaired by Assistant Commandant Anish Kumar several discussions were held on prevention of HT, identification of victims, legal procedures with need and necessity of implementation of proper Standard Operating Procedures for repatriation of children rescued. The meeting was attended by representatives of various departments including SSB 22 company, AHTU staff, Child welfare officer, police station Nichlaul,  PRI, DCPU, OVN, Maiti Nepal, KIN, Ashish, PGSS, Childline.

Health Department- ANM, ASHA and VLCPC Members. Detailed discussions were held on the need for increased collaboration and understanding between various organizations for the prevention of Human Trafficking after the post-Covid situation.

Regular meetings are gearing up everyone to act as a watchdog at the border area and this Promptness among the Partners Team DEHAT resulted in the timely Rescue of Girls who were lured for marriage by two men and were planning to cross the border to board in a bus to travel to Delhi.