Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, with approximately 25% of its population living below the national poverty line. Lack of employment and access to adequate nutrition, healthcare and secure housing leaves families in desperate conditions, where the enticement of a job, even one that is risky, seems like the only option.
Particularly in rural Nepal, women face pervasive discrimination, gender based violence and unequal opportunity, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
Lack of education
Poverty, gender discrimination and early marriage are barriers to girls' education in Nepal. If they do make it to school, Nepal’s rigid education system, does little to equip girls with the confidence, self-worth or income generation skills needed to provide viable alternatives to the lures of traffickers.
Lack of law enforcement
Despite having anti-trafficking and corruption laws in place in both Nepal and India, trafficking continues to flourish. The long open shared border means it’s difficult to catch the criminals. Police, border agencies and judiciary can be involved, colluding with or taking bribes from the traffickers.
The majority of Nepal’s population relies on subsistence farming for their livelihood, making them particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters. The two devastating earthquakes of 2015 displaced families, separated children from their parents and destroyed livelihoods, magnifying the the vulnerability of already vulnerable women and girls to traffickers.