The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Hamro Samman Project marked World Day Against Trafficking in Persons by signing four memorandum of understanding to counter trafficking in persons in Nepal with the Chaudhary Group, the Alliance Against Trafficking of Women in Nepal (AATWIN), the National Network for Safer Migration (NNSM), and the National Business Initiative (NBI).

Nepal remains a major source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor, sexual exploitation or organ trafficking. Some studies have estimated that a quarter of a million Nepalis are in forced labor or other forms of trafficking at any given time, with many more Nepalis vulnerable due to poverty, lack of livelihood opportunities and lack of information about trafficking and services for survivors.

The newly-formed partnerships - which were announced at an event co-hosted by USAID’s Hamro Samman Project, AATWIN, NNSM, and NBI - are extremely important to promote local ownership and sustain the wins the country has made so far in countering human trafficking.

Applauding Nepal’s steady progress in combating human trafficking, USAID Nepal Mission Director Peter A. Malnak said: “For over a decade, the U.S. Government has worked closely with the Government of Nepal to effectively reduce trafficking in persons and labor exploitation in Nepal and abroad. Moving forward, we firmly believe that engaging the Nepali private sector can now play a vital role in cementing the gains Nepal has made in overcoming its development challenges, including reducing human trafficking.

” The event honored U.S. State Department 2018 Trafficking in Person Hero, Sunita Danuwar, for her demonstrated and unwavering commitment to counter human trafficking in Nepal and ensure access to services for survivors. She continues to play a pivotal role in catalyzing system-wide partnerships to fight human trafficking. To support Nepal’s efforts to counter TIP, USAID has invested more than $20 million in programs that counter human trafficking. USAID’s Hamro Samman Project builds upon nearly two decades of USAID support to Nepal to counter human trafficking and strengthen the rule of law to prosecute offenders. The five year project is made possible due to the support of the American people and implemented by Winrock International.