Sex Trafficking

Ruby Shrestha

14/03/2011

Gordon 3

Pre-IBDP English 10

Nepal: Stunning Culture Scarred Lives.

Welcome my fellow delegates to the United Nation's annual meeting. I wish to extend to you a warm welcome on Nepal's behalf. We have gathered here today to discuss an issue that should not and will not leave the vast goblet in which all violations of human rights is held until the issue is entirely solved. You may think that this issue is the declining economy or the constantly occurring, devastating natural disasters, but I must tell you that the issue at hand is neither of those. The issue is human trafficking.

Nepal has been one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. With her high and mighty mountains and her deep, sweeping valleys, Nepal has always been one of the most beautifully arranged countries in my heart. Nepal: a country where diverse cultures mesh while still maintaining the burning fire of pride and nationalism running in their veins. Nepal: a country with too many cultural backgrounds to count. With Newahs dominating the Kathmandu valley region, Sherpas inhabiting the mountainous area of the Himalayas, and the courageous Gurkhas fighting for freedom in the Nepalese Army and around the world, it's an amazement that the country only spans 147, 181 square kilometers (Gottlieb 1169). With its rich and stunningly diverse culture one would think that this nation is on its way to making and leaving its mark on the world. Nepal is on its way, but for the wrong reasons. Nepal is corrupt. The fighting is terrible. Most cannot even walk out their door without the fear of being shot, mugged, or raped. But all of this should not distract us from the genuine problem at hand: human trafficking.

Human trafficking is one of the biggest issues at hand when viewed on a global scale. It is a clear violation of human rights, no matter the country. Human trafficking has been a problem for centuries. Exploiting people of all generations, shapes, and nationalities, it has become one of the biggest issues in every nation today. Each year over 20,000 girls are trafficked across the India-Nepal border (Maiti Nepal). "Up to 30,000 of the 100,000 prostitutes in Mumbai alone are Nepalese" ('Sex Trafficking"). Despite these devastating facts, the sex industry in Nepal continues to magnify. According to John Frederick, the "once underground industry is now booming" ("From Treks").

These girls are lured at a young age. Indian men and women posing as successful businessmen and women claim to parents that they will give a good job to their daughters (Maiti Nepal). However, this is the exact opposite of the case. The parents of these girls are only paid a small sum of money to allow their daughters to work in the cities. What these men and women pay the parents is only a fraction of what they will earn working in the brothels. Once they girls arrive at the brothels they become forever in debt. Although most sex works make the same amount as a licensed physician (Rs. 30,000), they only ever touch a small fraction of this amount ("Business"). They are required to pay for housing, food, and to raise her children if she has any (Maiti Nepal). To the naked eye this transaction may seem like a pretty good deal, but when you dig deeper you will find that this can be considered a form of exploitation.

"No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms" (United Nations). What does this mean, my fellow delegates? Does this mean that human trafficking is a violation of Article Four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Article four clearly states that no person can be held in slavery or servitude. Is a thirteen year old girl being forced to have sex with over thirty-five men each day with little or no pay, not considered slavery or servitude? If any one shall dare to defy this statement,