Parliamentary committee directs govt to record people crossing border

Kathmandu : Women and Social Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the government to keep record of the people crossing the checkpoints so that it would be easy to curb human trafficking.

The security management along the border could be strengthened by not going against international commitment on people’s right to free movement, the Committee said, adding that smooth and effective regulation of check points would help identify the victim and oppressors. The Home Ministry and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare were directed to augment the coordination among all three levels of governments, concerned ministries and departments and the organizations working against human trafficking.

Similarly, the Ministry of Women is directed particularly for mobilizing organizations in the vulnerable areas, conducting programmes to ensure women’s access to education, and empowering people financially to reduce human trafficking. In the Committee meeting on Friday, member Ganga Chaudhari complained that in some cases, the police did not receive the complaints which the Home Ministry needs to address. Similarly, member Narayan Khatiwada wondered why the records maintained by government and non-government organizations on violence against women were different.

Another member Laxmi Pariyar said the statistics showed that Bagmati Province and Province 2 had recorded highest number of children gone missing. On the occasion, Secretary at National Women Commission, Manoj Kumar Acharya, informed that the Commission was receiving complaints of violence against women and facilitating for the protection and treatment of the victims.

Secretary at Home Ministry Tek Narayan Pande informed that police would take appropriate action once the information on disappearance of women and children is relayed on time. He pointed out the need of province-wise study on the factors causing disappearing of people.