Hindustan Times
Hungry kya! Sell your daughter!!!
The words are harsh. But the reality is harsher. The poor who sold their land, are now selling their daughters in rural India. Not to dwell in luxuries, but ward off hunger.
And it’s happening everywhere. In cities it could be a matter of choice, but in rural India it is per force.Involved are parents, touts and buyers. It’s an international network with links in high society and high echelons of power. In some parts of India like Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, it’s done in the name of a tradition.
Let me quote some figures from various studies on the net to raise your interest. “Millions of women and girls have been trafficked across borders and within countries in recent years making human trafficking a global industry that generates an estimated five to seven billion US dollars each year. It is estimated that 300,000 to 450,000 people are trafficked within Asia every year, half of them in South Asia.”
Another study says, “ Human trafficking generates billions of dollars for organized crime. It is considered the third largest source of funding, preceded only by drugs and gins.”
‘Sex sells! The victims are poor girls from villages in trouble-torn Nepal or from any village of rural India. Preference is for Nepalese as they are cheaper to buy, much more cooperative and much easier to control and enslave.’
Some time back I had gone to Nepal that shares porous borders with India- a large area with Uttar Pradesh. And people were livid. Their girls - as young as 8 year- were being trafficked to India, West Asia and other destinations.
Almost a month back two Indians were bashed up in Nepal. They were hunting for wine and woman. They returned home with their faces painted black. The issue of trafficking of girls has become so sensitive that it is sparking anti-Indian sentiments in Nepal.
Maoists in Nepal, a political force to reckon with, were demanding a ban on sale of liquor and girl trafficking. They had even made it known that anyone taking part in this would be humiliated publicly.
Alongside some Nepalese NGO’s have set up vigilance centers near Nepal-UP borders to check girls from being duped. They literally stop girls, question them and persuade them to return home.
The worst part of this trade is that neither the parents nor the girls were making money from the deal. And as this industry thrived on ‘use and throw’ principle, girls’ were returning home physically and mentally abused — a bigger liability than before..
The scene is no different in India where farmers are selling their daughters to repay loans. The practice is different in Bundelkhand where they mortgage their woman - a cycle in which generations continue to repay loans by selling their bodies. Worst still, the victim has to bring up the children born out of this relationship also.
Is there a solution? Yes India should not become the transit point for trafficking of Nepalese girls. Some parley at the highest level with a better vigil at the borders can easily save India from this black spot.
As for within India-the shining India- the government must ensure no one goes to bed empty stomach. It’s high time the society too rises from its slumber to check sale of woman because who knows whose daughter could fall victim to this disgusting business one day.
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Sunita Aron on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Filed under India · Tagged human trafficking, hunger, luxuries, Madhya Pradesh, maoists, nepal, rural India, sex sells, tradition
Sunita,
There has been a fundamental flaw with Indian culture. It has never treated man and woman equally. We don’t have to look at rural level. You have example of Sonia Gandhi who wants to pass political legacy of her dynasty to her not-so-bright son instead of bright daugter.
You can see Amitabh and Jaya in tears everytime they see Abhishek undeservedly winning some award but why have they not allowed their daughter to be in public domain.
The Bollywood Kapoor family is another such example where women were barred from working and that so called parampara was broken by Karishma.
By the way example of Indira Gandhi doesn’t cut any ice because Nehru had no other option as she was his only child.
The way Mahatma Gandhi treated Kasturba forcing her to follow his ideology or the way Nehru ignored Kamla Nehru.
What can you expect from Rural janta when our ruler and celebrities behave like Jahils?
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Nikhil Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Rajeev,
Human trafficking is a business not a flaw in culture. And, the demand is global with big bucks riding on it. South Asia with plenty of people who live on the margins becomes a favorite hunting ground for brokers.
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sunita Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Rajeev
The people u are talking about belongs to a privileged class where they could make their own choices. I am writing about a class who has no choices, even when they are selling themselves or their daughters.
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Rajeev Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 2:06 am
That is what I am saying. If people from privileged class treat women in such manner how can you expect BECHARA class to do any better.
We must accept a poor person sells his daughter/wife only under extreme condition. Now the question is what has led him to do that and how we can alter the situation.
It is duty of govt. to ensure mininum standard of living for every Indian citizen (I think priveleged class should be ready to shell out more Income tax for that). We need a safety net for the people on the margins of the society.
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sunita Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Rajeev
I fully agree
Sunita,
It’s heart breaking but trafficking girls (and boys), sadly, is a lucrative business. So strong is the global demand for flesh trade that it flourishes despite being outlawed in many countries, including India. Why? Because, there are shady interest groups who make big money out of it. These groups will not hesitate to supply sex to the politicians or the police to protect or advance their interests.
If demand cannot be suppressed, can we attempt to suppress supply? It can be done either by cracking down hard on traffickers. Or, by making prostitution in South Asia more respectable (perhaps legal) profession like that in parts of Europe. The latter proposition may atleast give some rights to the sex workers which is better than slavery that they experience today.
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Manjari Singh Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Prostitution is the oldest industry on earth!
Sex workers are all set for commonwealth games Delhi. It is said that their business will rise upto 25%. They are taking grooming classes for this. Not only this they are also learning foreign languages.
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sunita Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Nikhil/Manjari
I know its the oldest industry but look at the age at which they are being exploited. and why ? only because their parents don’t have money to feed them.
Something should be done to contain its rampant prevalence and people involved or else ——I don’t want to write the gory picture except that no one’s daughter would be safe
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Nikhil Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Sunita,
If lack of money is the problem, I believe some NGO’s may have to take on this challenge. The solutions should be multi-pronged; the solutions should be local, not national.
I do not think that the state can ensure that every citizen is being fed properly. Why not? Because, the state does not have the bandwidth to meet the challenge. Not much can be expected from the state which is yet to determine which family falls under the poverty line and which does not.
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sunita Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Nikhil,
Why NGO alone, its duty of all of us to do our bit. AS for the state– they have to ensure none sleep without food — there was a time when starvation deaths used to create a furore– I think we are becoming too insensitive
yes some issues have to handled locally but with a national mandate
Yeah we are more worried about which latest cell-phone models to buy.. Middle class India lives in its fool’s paradise..
God forbid if some vegetable price goes up by few ruppes these people start shouting from rooftop here we have rural india which feeds those city dwellers selling their daughters for food..
Really bloody what kind of mind takes people’s womne in return of loan.. we call ourselves oldest culture bloody this is culture then give me depravity of nude dance-bars any day
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Anil,
Thats the contradiction in our system- we worship women, we sell/buy women
people will do anything for money and people with money will grab anything
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Rajeev Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I totally agree with you. The people who worship Durga Maa daily will not think twice while aborting girl childs.
When I was in mumbai, I used to walk from Horniman circle to VT station in the evening. The sight of young girls (prostitutes) on the sidewalk waiting for customers used to make me feel ashamed of being an Indian.
Frankly speaking it is very sad state of affairs in India. Our govt. is wasting time on silly matters rather than looking into genuine issues.
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sunita Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
yes rajeev
government should have thier priorities correct
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I think there are three issues that Govt. has to work on to empower women irrespective of their social status or religion.
1. Make a law that bans abortion of Girl child.
2. Make a law that makes parents educate girl child.
3. Law that gives women equal share in father’s property.
4. Law that makes wife equal to husband not more (thru 498a) or less (by allowing burning brides).
Any person found selling girl (rich or poor) should be taken to task. The only way to empower women is to treat them EQUALLY without harrassing men (obviously the Sharif ones).
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sunita Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
rajeev,
not only frame laws but implement them too
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Rajeev Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Totally agree with you but implemenatation must be honest..but somehow honesty is an alien concept for Indians.
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sunita Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
why be so pessimistic
There are still some honest people who are keeping the system going
Rajeev Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 1:50 am
I know you are trying to be optimistic but looking at KODA episode, can you honestly believe that we have willpower to respect the laws.
The people who accept prostitution just because it is “oldest profession” are being insensitive. If there has been a wrong for centuries then it is not necessary that this wrong should continue in future also.
I think prostitution is murder of womens’ soul by society. It is immoral and I am yet to hear any fatwa or pravachan asking for upliftment of sex workers and banning of prostituition by so called protectors of our great culture.
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Manjari Singh Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
. “If there has been a wrong for centuries then it is not necessary that this wrong should continue in future also.”
Two thumps Up Rajeev!!!!!!! ( FOR A CHANGE)
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Rajeev Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 1:49 am
If you think without prejudice, you will agree with most of my arguements.
I am firm believer of equality irrespective of any difference including GENDER.
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Dear friends,
I have a solution pl.look into this,prostitution was the oldest industry so we should accept this,politician,social reformers starting from Ghandiji to Rahul(put blame on them)and last Govt.is there to handel this problem.what is our responsibllity as a social animal for social problems we do not know.
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1. Make a law that bans abortion of Girl child.
2. Make a law that makes parents educate girl child.
3. Law that gives women equal share in father’s property.
4. Law that makes wife equal to husband not more (thru 498a) or less (by allowing burning brides).
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1. Make a law that bans abortion of Girl child.
There is a ban on abortion OVERALL except under some medical circumstances
2. Make a law that makes parents educate girl child.
There is lack of specific legislation that does this ONLY .But there are lots of incentives. Like free schooling till some class etc. Primary education is now a fundamental right.
3. Law that gives women equal share in father’s property.
This is needed. Absolutely. But only once my dad writes the will. So please wait.
4. Law that makes wife equal to husband not more (through 498a) or less (by allowing burning brides).
Tricky issue. making wife equal to husband could be misconstrued by women’s rights groups as placing women in a disadvantageous position. Like 498a. U think there wouldn’t be a hue and cry about how we have murdered womens rights if this section was repealed or made more gender neutral.
All of these are sociological problems and will not go away by legislation. Legislation helps but its not the solution for such problems.
http://mywriterkeeda.wordpress.com
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It was said to read this article as i knew very little about human Trafficking and how it has been prevailing in the country for so long.
Bad on the part of our government that knowing all this they aren’t doing anything to eradicate it.
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