Meera (23) from Nepal was lured into a false promise of a job in India. She thought that her life would change for the better and her family would benefit from the wages she would earn. However, what she did not know was that her dreams would be shattered when she became a victim of human trafficking.
Meera's story is not unique. In fact, thousands of women are trafficked from Nepal to India every year. According to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 15,000-20,000 women and girls are trafficked from Nepal to India annually.
Meera was promised a job as a domestic help in Delhi with a monthly salary of INR 10,000. She was excited about the prospect of earning such a large amount of money and providing for her family. However, when she reached Delhi, she was taken to a brothel and forced into prostitution.
Meera narrates her story with tears in her eyes, "I was devastated when I realized what was happening. I felt trapped and helpless. I was forced to sleep with multiple men every day. I didn't know how to escape this nightmare."
Meera's ordeal continued for months, until she was finally rescued by an NGO on the initiative of an NGO Maiti, Nepal. She was taken to a rehabilitation center where she received medical attention and counseling. She now rues the day she left Nepal.
"I wish I had never left Nepal. I was naive and did not know the dangers of human trafficking. I was promised a job, but I didn't know that it was a trap. I lost my dignity and my self-respect. I hope no one else has to go through what I went through," says Meera.
According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking is the third-largest criminal activity in the world, after drug trafficking and arms trafficking.
"Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights. It is a form of modern-day slavery and must be eradicated. We need to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking and provide support to victims like Meera," says a spokesperson for the NGO, based in Gorakhpur, that rescued Meera.