Meet the Nepali teenagers raising awareness on human trafficking

SCENES shines a spotlight on youth around the world that are breaking down barriers and creating change. The character-driven short films will inspire and amaze, as these young change-makers tell their remarkable stories.

In Nepal, a group of young women use their voices to help change the world they want to live in and engage in important issues that affect them the most. They tackle serious issues and present their campaigns to politicians demanding change for a better future.

Despite economic growth averaging 4.8 per cent over the last decade, Nepal remains one of the poorest countries in the world, as the government is trying to rebuild its economy after the Covid-19 pandemic. Female children are still not considered to be a priority in the political agenda when it comes to issues like child marriage, child trafficking and exploitation.

Child safety campaigner Neelisha Giri was separated from her parents as a young child. The teenager is from Nepalgunj, a city near India's southern border.

"If I would have been trafficked at that time, I have no clue how my life would have been now. I still fear when I think of what has happened. Where would I be now? What would happen to me," says Neelisha.

They were travelling in a rickshaw from neighbouring district Bardiya, some 40 kilometres away from her city, when they stopped for a break.

Neelisha's mother, Kamala Giri, recalls how the nightmare day unfolded. "We looked for her everywhere but couldn't find her. Then we reported it to the police. We informed other organisations as well. We informed all our relatives in our town and everybody started looking for her. We found her after six or seven hours in India near the border," says Kamala.

Education is an essential factor in