Supporting survivors of trafficking in Nepal through innovative aftercare: Profile of Mukti International
By Shelby Roberts, WI-HER Intern
Priya1, 15, was rescued from a local street food restaurant that disguised itself as a legitimate business while secretly exploiting young girls. Trafficked at the age of 14, Priya was forced to work under horrific conditions for months until local police identified, rescued, and transported her to a safe home run by Mukti International. When she arrived at Mukti, Priya was two years behind in school, suffering from PTSD, and had nothing but the clothes on her back.
As defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, “human trafficking is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts.” According to the U.S. Department of State’s “2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Nepal,” the National Human Rights Commission estimated in 2019 that 1.5 million Nepalis are vulnerable to human trafficking. This vulnerability is attributed to factors such as age, lack of education, marginalized caste status, and limited economic opportunities.
Mukti International aims to support girls like Priya by focusing on the rescue, recovery, and reintegration of survivors of human trafficking. “Mukti” means “freedom” in Sanskrit. Emma Hodge relocated from the US to Asia in 2017 and embarked on a journey in the anti-human trafficking sector through working with established anti-trafficking organizations. After learning about the dire situation of Nepali girls, Hodge established Mukti International as an NGO in Kathmandu. According to Hodge, before the establishment of Mukti, almost 100% of women and girls were re-trafficked or re-exploited within days of being rescued. Based on her work with other organizations, Hodge recognized that a lack of quality aftercare programs contributed to this high rate of re-victimization.
Today, Mukti International provides specialized rehabilitation and aftercare for minors emerging from human trafficking through an aftercare home for survivors, which can accommodate up to 32 individuals. Mukti’s holistic program provides immediate stabilization and care post-rescue by a diverse team that includes social workers, counselors, teachers, security staff, and caregivers, all certified in trauma-informed care. Each staff member participates in a two-month certification training program by Atlas Free, formerly known as Rescue:Freedom. At Mukti International, success is measured through a comprehensive analysis of each case and six key areas.
Social work: Social workers are responsible for case management, family situation assessments, and government coordination. Positive results are monitored by evaluating family connections, relationship building, and securing essential legal documentation, such as citizenship or birth certificates. For example, the social workers helped Priya reestablish a relationship with her mom after years of being disconnected.
Counseling: Mukti counselors provide both individual and group therapy sessions. Counselors utilize Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to measure pre- and post-outcomes through clinical assessments, ensuring counseling effectiveness. For Priya, this meant she received the vital emotional support she desperately needed.
Education: Teachers orchestrate a unique remedial education program that allows girls to excel academically, achieving an average of 2.5 years of progress per school year and enabling them to catch up quickly. To evaluate success, Mukti tracks the number of grade levels advanced and whether individuals are at their age-appropriate level. Within a year, Priya advanced to her appropriate grade level and is now thriving in the 9th grade.
Security: Mukti provides 24-hour protection to survivors and makes security a top priority. The security team is responsible for assessing risk by evaluating external threats, such as whether traffickers know the girls’ whereabouts or have contacted their families. Priya faced constant threats after filing a case against her traffickers. Her perpetrators visited her mother’s house daily for two weeks following the filing. In response, Mukti’s security staff provided unwavering support and protection to Priya’s family during this time.
Caregiving: Caregivers work in 12-hour nursing shifts to ensure around-the-clock access to care. Priya received immediate medical care when arriving at the home, including treatment for STDs, and her physical health continues to be supported by staff.
Legal: Mukti has its own legal team that is actively involved in prosecuting human trafficking cases, reinforcing their commitment to justice and advocacy for survivors. To ensure ongoing successful outcomes, Mukti assesses whether cases reach final hearings or sentencing and if victim compensation is achieved. Priya won her case against her traffickers, leading to each perpetrator receiving a seven-year prison sentence and Priya being awarded financial compensation.
Mukti’s multifaceted evaluation process maintains a focus on the highest standards in providing a safe and supportive environment for survivors, and today, Hodge reports that 97% of girls who enter Mukti’s program are not re-trafficked or re-exploited, a noteworthy percentage considering this was nearly 0% before the institution of Mukti’s aftercare program.
Now, Priya is determined to continue her education and pursue a medical degree to help other girls who have endured similar experiences. Her resilience and newfound dreams testify to her strength and the profound impact of Mukti’s support. Looking ahead, Mutki aims to expand its efforts in Nepal by enhancing the accessibility of aftercare programs through closer collaboration with the government and establishing additional homes with more beds to accommodate and enable a greater number of Nepali girls in their journeys.
- Name changed for the safety of the individual ↩︎