At the border between Nepal and India, citizens from the two countries are free to cross without being required to show identification. The porousness of the border has led to the flourishing of human trafficking from Nepal into India, as traffickers are able to transport individuals across the border unimpeded. In response, NGOs began setting up unofficial checkpoints along the border to intercept women and girls whom they believed were being trafficked. NGO staff watch for suspicious signs among travelers and question those they deem to be possible victims.

Love Justice International is an NGO that currently operates 20 border-monitoring stations in Nepal, and this presentation offers an analysis of over five years of data collected by THN about trafficking activity from Nepal across its border with India. THN began its border-monitoring work in 2006 and has collected extensive data from thousands of intercepts, including demographics of the trafficking victims (such as age, gender, education, economic status, and employment background), motives for going abroad, recruitment methods, promises offered, relationships to traffickers, trafficking routes, and destinations. This presentation will identify trends and compare them with the prevailing understanding of human trafficking trends in Nepal. THN also facilitates the filing of legal cases against traffickers, and this presentation will do a case study of approximately 60 convictions to analyze: 1) what substantive and procedural factors may lead to a successful conviction for trafficking, a conviction for a lesser offense, or an acquittal; 2) what proportion of intercepts lead to legal action; and 3) the factors relevant to whether legal action is taken.