Cross-border Policy Dialogue Seminar on Human Trafficking"(2003)

In light of the seriousness of the problem, Himalayan Human Rights Monitors (HimRights) in support from Plan Nepal organized a two day event entitled "South Asia Regional Policy Dialogue Assembly on human Trafficking" on December 21-22, 2003 in Lalitpur Nepal, at the threshold of the 12th SAARC Summit held in Islamabad, Pakistan in January 2004.

The two day event brought together various stakeholders from Nepal and India in a common platform with special representation of law-enforcement agencies across Indo-Nepal border as well as from the central government bodies to discuss on the problem of combating human trafficking in various forms and facets.  This first ever joint larger gathering after the adoption of the SAARC Convention on Trafficking addressed the alarming situation of floating and vulnerable population, unsafe migration, mobility, interception, rescue, remand, relief, repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration.  Extradition and persecution even beyond the SAARC geographical jurisdiction as well as the joint cooperation and coordination between the two bordering nations to fight the common enemy—the nexus of human trafficking were the additional agendas for the policy dialogue.

The recently adopted SAARC Convention on trafficking is a milestone in terms of transforming the notion of “problem” to “crime”. The Convention has distinctly recognized the issue as a bilateral, multilateral and a regional problem. However, domestication of the Convention and enforcement of the provisions that require at least bilateral consent and cooperation is our primary agenda for the proposed Seminar. Altogether 200 delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and members of the global civil society representing human rights activists, renowned front runner champions in the struggle against trafficking in persons, women activists, social workers from a broad range of civil societies, representatives of diplomatic missions, senior government officials, international observers and media had attended the Policy Dialogue in order to share their ideas, expertise and experiences, and formulate a common understanding for advocacy and lobby for regional policy change.

To download the seminar proceedings report Click Here»