Category Modern Days Slavery

Console Mission has observed that girls in rural areas, after reaching puberty, often wait two to four years following the trend of attending school until grade twelve before getting married. During this period, they are typically focused on finding a husband, either through social sites, attending wedding celebrations, or visiting relatives. Consequently, their training and studies often seem futile as they do not look beyond getting married.

A girl who completes grade ten and plans to stay in her village to continue grade eleven is a hope that she will associate with Console Mission (CoMi), allowing us to carry on the volunteer task of running a community learning center. After more than a year of training and monthly financial support, we expect they will continue, but it is likely they will get married. Recently, a sixteen-year-old girl named Sumitra, completed grade ten, attending a community learning center that is called Our Study Place in a rural area. CoMi found a scholarship for her, and we were her continue volunteering as pursued grade eleven. However, instead of getting married, she left her village and went to an area for work she gets paid. For a girl like her, the scholarship fund, volunteer financial support, opportunity to interact with other children in an academic setting is better opportunity than what she is doing now. When executive heard that receiving a scholarship Sumitra was willing to continue grade eleven as planned she was for a reason and said that her parents wanted her to earn money. However contacting her, we found was Sumitra who did want to continue. her parents are not academically qualified they understand the importance of. Similarly, girls like her become lazy and that getting married is a idea. If not in the village or somewhere else they will eventually someone after moving., they want freedom and do not want to give their a hard time. The reason is that they have not learned the importance of their and responsibility to society and the world. Mostly, lack of guidance from an age at home and contributes to this issue (this is based on what is in newspapers and what people; further research is needed).

Or, we may doubt :

1. A girl of such age may fear physical or sexual abuse, or being forced to marry someone she does not like, or an older person trying to marry her.
2. Alternatively, there are other causes such as human trafficking.

However, certain kinds of fears and the presence of an unfriendly environment must be putting teenage girls in such situations that they make decisions that give them a feeling of independence. Yes, there are consequences and both physical and psychological challenges that will surely come sooner or later. But at that age, especially in a rural area they are not only going to school after a long walk, but they are the soul of the house, taking care livestock, carrying grass from jungles and woods, and working in the field. Still that is not sufficient; girls and children must give everything they can for their house their parents.

Not only Miss Sumitra but also Miss Dolma, who was waiting for her grade twelve results (September 2024) and was a scholarship student of CoMi, got married after working as a monthly paid staff for four months. She four younger sisters, and her father was still hoping for a son. At the age of, she got married through social media and mobile phone communication. Co believed she had developed the to further her academic qualifications The financial support from CoMi was a great help for her to pay her rent and tuition fees. This is why CoMi is working on a project called Self-Managed Home, which has been successful from 2018 to 2023, helping a dozen girls directly by providing a place to live during their and interacting with those from rural areas studying in settings. Away from home different environments are often exploited, but some take such opportunities to grow and develop their careers.

Role of mother:

A mother figure can be anyone connected to us, such as relatives, neighbors, or teachers. Therefore, in the larger discourse on #genderequality, it is crucial that the future generation receives essential guidance to help them overcome fear. It is important for girls to look forward to a better and sustainable society. Otherwise, we may face similar setbacks as seen when CoMi, despite working in academic excellence, encountered the events of Sumitra and Dolma.

On behalf of Sahil Shah, the Young Coordinator for the Rally Against Human Trafficking in 2080 B.S., brought to you by a CM Management Volunteer.

He is not only idle who does nothing, but he is idle who might be better employed.

Socrates

Before I provide information about the rally aimed at raising public awareness of human trafficking, I would like to explain why I chose the aforementioned quote:

“Socrates is widely recognized as a clever individual. It is generally accepted that a person who does nothing is idle, especially one who performs tasks in a repetitive or unchanging manner. This notion suggests that if we desire change, it is crucial to adopt a different approach or alter our method of work.”

Since 2017, Console Mission has taken to the streets with the aim of raising public awareness. Their goal is to reach the entire country because the rally, an event held in a well-known global city, is not only for Nepal or the Nepalese but also offers crucial support for other countries where human trafficking takes on various horrific forms. While sex is natural, the trafficking of individuals for body parts like skin is an appalling reality that stands in stark contrast to abduction for sexual exploitation.

The team has initiated the potential road traffic diversion. Approximately 300 participants need to be informed about this, as it will be a new experience for many. The activity is expected to last around one and a half hours. Participants will receive materials designed to facilitate ongoing connection and collaboration after the rally. A nine-member team, including seven staff and two managers, will oversee the event. To manage resources, fundraising efforts have begun, targeting individuals and organizations such as NGOs, political parties, banks, and faith-based groups. The event is anticipated to receive full support from the authorities, as past rallies have proven to be encouraging for them. For instance, a rally on September 5, 2022, in Kathmandu district saw participation from various NGOs addressing human trafficking. The upcoming rally will take place in Lalitpur district, which, along with Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, forms the Kathmandu Valley.

Materials such as placards will carry potent messages urging authorities to enforce existing laws against human trafficking, with a particular focus on children entitled to freedom and education.

We need your support. Here is how you can send your support by scanning the QR code linked with the bank account. If you required information for wire transfer write to us at office@consolemission.org.

If you meet me today, I am not the same as before when I visited Console Mission in December 2020.

I did not know why I was taken there but I was asked about my education first.

It had been a long time since I stopped my school. This October 8, 2021 I will celebrate my 22nd birthday. I told I had to take care of my brother. I may share more about my social situation.

During the 3 months from January – March 2021, I learned tailoring skills. And, by participating in activities and taking books to read, I still did not understand the importance of education. And, still I am ignoring school. If you recognize Kabita, she is my cousin who during the first lockdown left home and went with our relative living in the city and joined a garment factory. But, the Console Mission met her and re-reflected the advantages of education. She refused to continue school but next morning she contacted and planned to continue her education. All that was going on around me but I am not caring about it. Every Sunday I used to go to the Console Mission for training and returned on Tuesday afternoon. During that time I have heard most of the time the Console Mission is focusing on prevention and the importance of education to understand other areas like health, ways of earning and to play a part in a peaceful community. I also heard that “everything is worthless without understanding because understanding develops behaviors and education is the key for understanding and logical thinking”.

The main problem that I have is that I do not communicate well. I just smile. In my village we have green vegetables that are expensive in urban areas but I did not bother to carry some for my cousin living there at Console Mission. My trust in the Console Mission increased when I heard that it helped a 13-year-old Survival girl from our village area to get justice. That little girl did not even know that this NGO did help her. She now lives in our village, Bulakhi Chawor with her relative because it is not safe for her at her village. I know she went to the Console Mission to collect stationeries and educational materials. But she wanted to inform me that she was not feeling safe. Her relatives have their own children, it is not possible to carry on more burden. This girl has her younger sister also. I do not know how this NGO will help them to manage a safe place. I heard from my cousin that there are numerous NGOs who have Shelter Home but the Console Mission has unique ideas for developing such victims and they have different ways to rehabilitate. But, besides ideas, they also need resources, they do not have their own place. At Console Home, there are 4 more girls along with my cousin Kabita. Last month the relative of the owner of the house visited and questioned people living there. Because it was supposed to be for office use only. I think since Console Mission pays the monthly rent on time and took care of the house properly, they have not bothered. But, there are uncertainties otherwise I might have thought of continuing joining school.

Now, it is locked down, since April I along with my other friends had just started learning new things, everything stopped.

If I share more about my family, my father got married to another woman. It was in 2016 when we were suffering from an earthquake. And, later my mother also went with another man. They have their own children. They left us alone. Now, my sister and brother live with my uncle, auntie and cousins. I have been planning to start a tailoring and manage clothes to sell in my village after completing my training.

I have put my photos for you to see.

Last year in October 2017, impatiently Console Mission a grassroots indigenous NGO organised a public rally where there were 270 – 300 with the physical support of local police.

According the study of C.M. the most relevant topics that is suitable for Nepal are: Child labour, forced marriage and sex trafficking.

There are 5 that I know from A21 are:

1. Sex trafficking
2. Forced Labour
3. Bondage labour
4. Domestic home servitude
5. Child soldiers

I have mentioned 3 above that is based on fact and relevant to the concentration of Console Mission. There are NGOs focusing Sex trafficking but since it has not been controlled, it is effective for NGO like Console Mission to concentrate, studying and some awareness activities along.

Since we have permission granted to open a rescue place or a Shelter Home, we managed a Rescue Support Services. The facilities like living room, health and police support is managed with the capacity to serve the victim for maximum 15 days. After this time they will be placed in proper place or rehabilitated.

The Peaceful Rally is a creative idea when Rallies that have been by the political or youths or public are noisy. The purpose is to aware the Nepalese citizens and alert the unknown human traffickers.

We seek to abolish human trafficking (modern days slavery) that has different faces.

Mostly girls “Standing proudly against sex trafficking”

Console Mission’s approach is to motivate children to continue going to school

People in government buildings, facilities of traveling in luxurious vehicles and security are busy in nation building that they could hardly see the environment and likely to have time to manage the problems like dust.

But since private sectors who have direct relation with the people and surroundings could pretend not seeing such health hazard situation. It is also an opportunity as they use a word CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility to contribute to place a traffic standing boot. They could have contributed traffic light system but how could the people in system like traffic police (as I am talking about road or vehicle traffic) themselves could focus in technology when whole world is running in technology.

There are traffic light automatic system but there we see traffic police controlling. And that could be according to my guess is because that sometimes don’t work. I think the cause is dust.

City in dust health hazardous to the citizens

When we study the time when there was 10 years of people war, government was ideal in contributing the need of the citizens because the people in government and their belongings were in threat of life. Army were fighting against the Maoist. At that time Private Sector was effective in contributing the economic situations.

How long the dependency remain. Now the Government of Nepal is strict, somehow citizens are feeling losing freedom of speech, freedom of Choice and security. Increasing huge tax rate in every sectors proves that still citizens are in slavery. In one hand democratically threats and another hand increase in tax rate. We hear speech like in certain period Nepalese will be a quality and economically better life. But since the foundation or the starting bounces the democratic views and that created situations in the lives of the citizens, the 5 years period could go by facing challenges and the political party in government will collect fund that will help them to strengthen internally.

I have been focusing to study last 6 months stories related to Human Trafficking. Moreover I would like to call Modern Days Slavery (that contents: (1) sexual exploitation trafficking, (2) forced slave labor, (3) bonded labor, (4) involuntary domestic servitude, (5) and child soldiery). Particularly looking at domestic i.e. Sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor and involuntary domestic servitude.

Translated from A21 Movement by Console Mission/ Dilasha Aviyan 2017 as authorised.

Before my study:

1. Literally various types of as mentioned above 5-types (there are more – A21) are not particularly not known.
2. As it is not viewed by differentiating, acting to stop it is not strong. However I don’t want to reflect in action, my focus is “why it has not been stopped”
3. Beside this, various organisations have not developed a mechanism to work together or not?
4. Patrolling the border might be not necessary compare to focusing in the local or domestic level.
5. In 3 topics: Sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor and involuntary domestic servitude, I will be looking at domestic level (i.e. happening inside the country Nepal). Girls coming from rural for one purpose but exploited sex business, working in restaurant, children brought in urban for education but working in house or restaurant/ adult male or female paying debt as servant in urban areas and manual or labor worker paid low than normal respectively.

Sex Trafficking | Bonded Labor | Involuntary Domestic Servitude

Sentence and word that will be used for searching:

1. Human trafficking in Nepal
2. Modern Days Slavery in Nepal
3. Facts about Human Trafficking in Nepal
4. Sex Trafficking in Nepal
5. Bonded Labor in Nepal
6. Involuntary Domestic Servitude in Nepal
7. How children comes in urban areas of Nepal and work in restaurant?
8. Is bonded labor still seen in Nepal?
9. How sex trafficking is controlled domestically in Nepal?

These will be searched within the time frame January 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018.

Search Engine: Google.com

Only news published online will be focused.

Work and hardship An Indian child labourer washes dishes outside a roadside restaurant in Jammu (Source: https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/india/can-india-eliminate-the-issue-of-child-labour-1.1543772Enter a caption)