US awards 2,610 to combat human trafficking in Nepal

Kathmandu. Apr 19 (UNI) The US State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons will award more than of six lakh dollars to three organisations in Nepal working to combat human trafficking.

The US government is committed to the fight against human trafficking, which is tantamount to modern-day slavery involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labour or sexual exploitation, a press release issued by the US Information Centre here said.

Save the Children and Maiti Nepal will get a one-year grant of 197,750 dollars to strengthen and expand community based anti-trafficking strategies through awareness and safe migration initiatives.

These organisations will work to bolster district anti-trafficking committees formed by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare and will provide training to ward and district level law enforcement officials.

Daywalka Foundation will get 465,360 dollars to improve the investigation, management and prosecution of trafficking cases.

The Nepal Institute of Development Studies will be awarded a grant of 9,500 dollars for collecting data on the nexus between trafficking and foreign employment of Nepali citizens.

It will document the vulnerabilities of migrant workers and victims of trafficking. This data will offer a better assessment of the trafficking situation in Nepal and help fill information gaps previously identified by the US State Department's report on human trafficking.

UNI