New: our blog,
The Heart of the Matter

Extraordinary story of a man who sold his wife to a brothel. Now, 22 years later, with the assistance of Maiti Nepal, his victim will see her trafficker go to jail for 20 years.  Read more.

*   *   *

Maiti Nepal celebrates 20th anniversary in Kathmandu

April, 2013 — Amidst dancing and decorations, music and feasting, Maiti Nepal celebrated its 20th year of protecting the young women of Nepal, preventing sex trafficking, and rehabilitating the survivors. Founder Anuradha Koirala  honored longtime staff members and celbrated with a spirited dance in traditional Nepali style; children and young women danced and sang, and a very special picnic meal was served to all participants and honored guests.

balloons released at Maiti Nepal's 20th anniversary

*   *   *

51 Nepali girls rescued from sexual exploitation in Tibet

All rescued from red-light district of Khasa near Nepal-Tibet border, and safely returned home. Read more.

 

Working together to combat girl sex trafficking in Nepal

Friends of Maiti Nepal is the official US representative of Maiti Nepal. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the human rights crisis of girl sex-trafficking by supporting Maiti Nepal in its work of prevention, interception, rescue and rehabilitation of victims; and criminal prosecution of perpetrators.

Some of Maiti Nepal's most trailblazing work is on surveillance of the border crosssings between Nepal and India. See slide show at right. Here young women from Maiti (former trafficking victims) work in cooperation with police - watching for suspicious activity, intervening when they see it, and rescuing over 2,ooo girls this year alone, before they could be sold to brothels [more]

20,000 girls a year are trafficked in Nepal

Click to enlarge

Girls and young women living in areas shown in red are at highest risk for sex trafficking.

Open Border

The open border at Baratnagar is typical of the unregulated crossing points from Nepal into India. On left see Maiti Nepal's information booth.

Volunteers

Volunteers from Maiti Nepal, trafficking survivors, check buses, cars, donkey carts, rickshaws and bicycles passing into India. They are looking for suspicious parties, and they know what to look for. Border police act in full support.

Questioned Closely

This pair was questioned closely, and then taken off the bus by police.

Close Scrutiny

The screening includes close scrutiny of identification papers.

Questioned Privately

Sometimes girls are taken aside and questioned privately by the young women of Maiti Nepal in their information booths/ offices. Police cooperate and respect the expertise of trafficking survivors.

Graphic Content

Most of the posters and billboards produced by Maiti Nepal have strong graphic content -- they can be understood by those who cannot read.

Women's Day Rally

This rally on Women's Day at the Parsa border crossing is a typical result of the grassroots organizing done by Maiti Nepal.

Intercepted

An 11 year old girl was intercepted recently at the Indian border by the young women of Maiti Nepal. One of over 2,000 girls' lives they saved this year.

Documentation

Prosecution of traffickers begins with careful documentation, and help for the young girls, many of whom are illiterate.

Interception Residences

Intercepted girls have a safe, clean place to stay -- at any of Maiti Nepal's eleven interception residences.

Street Theatre

Street theatre helps spread the warning about devious sex traffickers of children and young girls.

"Please tell the world about my girls." -Anuradha Koirala