Stakeholders Call for Clearer Definition, Stronger Provisions in Human Trafficking Law Amendment
13th Apr 2025
Stakeholders have urged the government to provide a clearer definition of human trafficking in the proposed amendment to the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2064. Speaking at a discussion program organized by the Forum for Women, Law and Development in Kathmandu, participants emphasized the need for stricter legal provisions and comprehensive protection measures for victims.
They recommended that the bill explicitly include legal provisions for the rescue, rehabilitation, and justice access for victims and survivors of trafficking. Participants also called for robust punitive measures against traffickers and a broader legal interpretation of trafficking.
Mina Poudel, Chief of the Human Trafficking and Transportation Control Section at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, said the bill was drafted to address trafficking carried out under various pretexts. The amendment, registered in the House of Representatives on March 24 by Minister Nawal Kishor Sah, aims to safeguard the dignity, freedom, and rights of individuals affected by trafficking and ensure justice for those at high risk.
Poudel added that the amendment seeks to bring individuals involved in human trafficking—both within and outside the country—under the legal framework and expand the scope of punishable offenses.
The current law defines human trafficking primarily as transporting individuals abroad with the intent of selling or exploiting them. However, Advocate Sabin Shrestha argued that this narrow definition excludes trafficking occurring within Nepal or involving individuals brought into the country. He proposed revising the terminology to cover the movement of people “from one place to another,” rather than limiting it to cross-border transport or transit through Nepal.
The discussion concluded with a consensus on the need to strengthen legal mechanisms to ensure access to justice for victims and prevent trafficking in all forms.
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