Post Trafficking in Nepal

Sexuality and citizenship in livelihood strategies

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To find out more about our project please contact:
School of Geography
Politics and Sociology
Newcastle University
NE1 7RU
Tel. 44 (0) 191 222 6340
Contact:
Prof. Diane Richardson
diane.richardson@ncl.ac.uk

Dr. Meena Poudel
meena.poudel@ncl.ac.uk
mpoudel@iom.int

Prof. Nina Laurie
nina.laurie@ncl.ac.uk

Dr. Janet Townsend
janet.townsend@ncl.ac.uk

Download a flyer with information about the project - click here

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

Welcome

Post Trafficking Livelihoods in Nepal

Newcastle University UK, in partnership with the
Non Government Organisation ‘Shakti Samuha’ and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in
Nepal, is undertaking this research (2010-2012) funded by the
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

This qualitative research project investigates the opportunities for livelihoods of choice for sexually trafficked women on their return to Nepal. It examines the intersections of sexuality, gender and citizenship in returnees’ livelihood strategies as new democratic processes, supported by national and transnational communities, are unfolding. In Nepal anti-trafficking advocacy is highly visible and through the country’s new Constituent Assembly, fresh debates have arisen that are impinging upon returnee trafficked women. By bringing sexuality and citizenship into dialogue with debates on livelihoods this project is helping to generate a new research and policy paradigm for understanding the relationship between sexuality, gender and development.

Final Phase of Fieldwork Completed

Professor Laurie and Professor Richardson joined Dr. Poudel in Nepal during October and November 2011 to carry out the final phase of fieldwork interviewing stakeholders and members of Shakti Samuha, the partner organisation, a total of twenty two interviews in all. A highly successful research seminar was held in Kathmandu on November 4th to disseminate preliminary findings from the analysis of the interviews conducted with returnee trafficked women. The seminar ‘Making Livelihoods Post Trafficking: Sexuality, Citizenship and Stigma’ was opened by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare and attracted more than 100 participants, including several members of the Constituent Assembly and senior policy makers. Our partner organisation, Shakti Samuha, also presented on ‘Trafficking Survivor to Social Researcher: A reflection of the Journey’ sharing their experience of research training which is also part of the project (see How We Work). The Conference Report is available for download under Publications.

Nepal Research Workshop

In July a round table workshop at Newcastle University debated the project’s findings (see bulletin 3 under ‘About’) with a group of 16 experts draw from policy makers, academics and activists in the fields of development, South Asia Studies and trafficking. Meena Poudel presented project findings on ‘Citizenship Challenges for Post Trafficked Women in the New Nepal’ alongside Nepal-focused papers from Sara Parker and Victoria Canning (Liverpool John Moores University) on education and gender research and Katharine Rankin (University of Toronto) on the honour economy in Nepal. A lively discussion followed, tackling issues like stigma and livelihoods, gender and citizenship, and the impacts of the geopolitics of aid. Drawing on experience from Rwanda, Justine Uvuza from Newcastle University raised questions about the different contexts of trafficking in conflict situations, whilst others provided insights from elsewhere in South Asian and Europe.

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A range of scholars, policy makers and anti-trafficking campaigners benefit from the research, which aims to inform national policies and approaches that go beyond the immediate 'rescue' of returnee trafficked women and combine a focus on livelihoods with the need to address the issues related to their right to citizenship.