Padma Mathema, Nepal NHRC

“Women in Nepal face discrimination on so many levels, in so many economic, social and cultural practices, that they feel themselves to be second class citizens,” says Padma Mathema, who is responsible for monitoring, coordinating and building partnerships to counter human trafficking in the south Asian nation.

“It is these deeply-held, patriarchal attitudes about women and girls that go to the very heart of the problem of trafficking in this country.”

Since she began as the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in 2004 – an office established within the National Human Rights Commission two years earlier – Padma’s driving goal has been to support and strengthen women.

She brings to the role more than 20 years experience in planning and coordinating policy and community initiatives in education, health and women’s issues.

“I took up this position because I want to empower the women and girls of Nepal. I want them to know their rights, I want them to be equal participants in their communities and I want them to have access to positive economic opportunities,” she said.

“Unfortunately the opportunities for women and girls, especially those living in the villages, are still very low. But they have dreams of finding a good job and this is what makes them vulnerable to the trafficking gangs.”

According to Nepal’s Secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs, quoted in the Kathmandu Post on 14 February, between 7,000 and 10,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked to India every month.

The vast majority – around four in every five – are trafficked for sexual exploitation, to work as prostitutes or forced into pornography. The rest are sold into forced labour. Children are often sold as child brides or to work in factories, circuses or as beggers.

“Because trafficking is a criminal and clandestine activity, it is hard to have exact figures about the extent of the problem,” says Padma, “but it is clear that the problem is increasing.”

“I also have concerns that the current economic climate will increase poverty in Nepal, especially among already marginalised groups, and that will make some people even more vulnerable to trafficking.

“But the problem is not just isolated to those in the villages. We know that women and girls in the urban areas – and also a growing number of men – are increasingly susceptible to trafficking.”

Padma says that her focus for the year ahead is to build strong partnerships with human rights defenders, non-government organisations, relevant government agencies and women’s police cells.

“We need to work together to improve our monitoring and reporting mechanisms,” she says.

“We also need to build commitments and action at the policy and the program level to respond to all aspects of the trafficking problem.

“Nepal has made strong laws to address trafficking, but so far we lack the resources and the means to effectively implement those commitments.”

Given the global nature of the human trafficking, Padma believes that regional and international cooperation is an absolute necessity to respond to the professionally-organised scourge that she likens to modern-day slavery.

“Trafficking touches every country and so we need to work together to prevent and respond to the problems,” she says. “However, to date, only eight countries have established national rapporteurs.”

“I believe every country, including APF member countries, should appoint a national rapporteur on trafficking to monitor and report on issues in their country and to share and exchange information with others across the region.

“We have to cooperate closely, communicate regularly and put in place the strong mechanisms that are needed to protect women and children to protect from trafficking and to ensure their rights to life, dignity and justice.”

Find out more

• Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (February 2009), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime