KATHMANDU, MARCH 20The Asia Foundation, in collaboration with New ERA and Shakti Samuha, announced the launch of 'Formative Research on Child Trafficking in Nepal' at an event in Kathmandu on March 18.This research initiative (October 2023 -March 2026) aims to generate essential evidence on child trafficking within Nepal's Adult Entertainment Industry (AES), cross-border trafficking, domestic work, and core labor industries, including brick kilns, garment, and carpet manufacturing, according to the press release issued by The Asia Foundation.Supported by the United States Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, this research initiative will help safeguard vulnerable Nepali children and empower local communities to combat child trafficking, it added. Addressing the event, Lindsay Seuc, representative of the US Embassy Nepal, said, "This research initiative will help identify targeted programming opportunities to address child trafficking in Nepal in furtherance of upcoming child protection compact partnerships, which our governments are working to finalize."Speaking at the event, Preeti Thapa, Deputy Country Representative of the Foundation, said, "As we embark on this research, we feel hopeful about the positive impact that it can generate on the current and future fight against child trafficking in Nepal."Indra Devi Dhakal, Member Secretary of the National Child Rights Council, emphasized that collaboration between the government and civil society organizations (CSOs)working in this area is crucial."A huge community cluster is at the bottom of the country's economic structure.

Until these communities are uplifted, the prevention of child labor and child trafficking is challenging." said Kewal Bhandari, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security." Charimaya Tamang, NCCHT at the project launch event.

Photo Courtesy: The Asia Foundation Charimaya Tamang, a survivor and member of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, stated, "There is much research conducted in human trafficking, but they are just limited to exploring the factors that cause human trafficking.

We expect this research to be a turning point in finding factors that contribute to trafficking, to address rights of trafficking victims, and to prevent trafficking from the grassroots level."Critical actors in combating child trafficking in Nepal, including relevant ministries and line agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, survivor groups, and the private sector stakeholders committed to fair trade practices, were present at the event and expressed interest in supporting the formative research in the coming days. .

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