IOM and Nepal's Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare
(MoWCSW) hosted a national meeting highlighting the findings of a
recent report titled SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating
Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution: Review and
Current Status, on 22 April in Kathmandu. The meeting, chaired by
the MoWCSW, was attended by representatives from government
ministries, civil society organizations, and international
organizations including the UN.

IOM, with support from the Asian Development Bank, undertook the
review to identify gaps and limitations in the SAARC convention.
Recommendations for strengthening the Convention and improving its
effectiveness include: expanding the scope of the document and the
legal definitions included, as well as establishing an independent
treaty monitoring process. The review also notes the need for
increased cooperation among the SAARC member states and further
harmonization of domestic trafficking definitions, laws and
penalties.

SAARC member states first adopted the Convention in January 2002
at the Kathmandu Summit. Following its ratification by all seven
SAARC member states, it entered into force in December 2005,
conferring obligations on the states to take effective steps to
address trafficking in women and children.

The MoWCSW and the Government of Nepal have identified
trafficking as an issue of serious national concern and as such are
developing relevant plans, strategies and programmes to address the
problem.

These include drafting of a National Plan of Action in 2002 and
passing of the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act
of 2007. The MoWCSW, in close co-ordination with NGO partners, also
provides direct assistance to survivors including rights protection
and promotion. 

For further information please contact:

IOM Nepal

National Programme Advisor

Dr. Meena Poudel

E-mail: "mailto:mpoudel@iom.int">mpoudel@iom.int

or

Prasuna Saakha

Programme Assistant

Tel. (977) 1 4426250

E-mail: "mailto:psaakha@iom.int">psaakha@iom.int