Understanding Human Trafficking Risk Factors in Nepal’s Foreign Employment Sector

Data available on the incidence of trafficking in persons (TIP) in Nepal is scant and scattered. This leaves unanswered questions about the actual number of people trafficked from Nepal every year and the socio-economic characteristics of TIP survivors. According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)’s latest annual report on TIP in Nepal, a total of 40,300 persons are estimated to have been trafficked in fiscal years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. A total of 270 human trafficking-related cases were registered at the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau of the Nepal Police and a total of 392 victims were recorded during the same period. In fiscal year 2018/2019, the government estimated a total of 35,000 victims with an additional 1.5 million Nepalis at risk, indicating a steady rise in the incidence of trafficking from Nepal.