On 29th of March, the Rotary Club of Pinjarra welcomed Darren Reynolds to their weekly meeting as a guest speaker. Darren in Head of Engagement for the not-for-profit charity, Every Daughter Matters.
Every Daughter Matters is an Australian-based anti-human trafficking NGO that partners with Aashish Social Services Nepal to run thirteen border crossings stations along the southern border of Nepal along with thirteen emergency accommodation shelters and two safe houses.
“Human Trafficking is an evil that erodes personal dignity, shatters lives, and destroys the moral fabric of society. The 1758km-long border between India and Nepal has been identified as one of the busiest human trafficking highways in the world,” said Darren. “Because we believe every daughter is priceless, is deserving of respect, dignity, and value, Every Daughter Matters is committed to seeing the trade of young Nepali women and girls interrupted and ultimately eradicated.”
“We work cross-culturally, in partnership with people on the ground to achieve effective and long-lasting outcomes. Our philosophy is to work with indigenous organisations with established runs on the board in the community development and anti-trafficking space.
Our work in Nepal is to disrupt the trafficking of women and girls across the Nepali border into India to help bring an end to this corrupt and degrading industry. We only work in Nepal so that we can focus maximum effort where needed to stop human trafficking there. Our on-the-ground operators work hand in hand with other community organisations, local police, border police, local politicians, and community leaders to present a united front in each border interception location.
We focus on surveillance and interception to ‘interrupt evil’ before the damage is done. We deliver holistic care – family unification, education, aftercare and counselling, vocational training, and micro enterprise opportunities.”
 
Every Daughter Matters currently sees around 100 individuals intercepted each month, the majority of whom spend time in our emergency accommodation facilities before reuniting with their families.
 
It is estimated that there are 50 million people in slavery around the world today (Source United Nations 2022). Approximately 20,000 Nepalis go missing across their border annually, and it is estimated that 1.5 million Nepalis (in a population of some 30 million people) are at risk from human trafficking. A United Nations report estimates some 38% of the population in Nepal live on or below the poverty line.
 
United Nations estimates that human trafficking is a US$150 billion per year criminal activity, with women and girls accounting for some 70% of all victims of modern slavery. Nepalese victims are plunged into the world of human trafficking in different ways.  Many hope to find jobs as domestic workers in India or Gulf countries but end up being trafficked and raped in brothels abroad. Others find themselves working in sweat shops or on construction sites in bonded labour. Sadly, many are tricked into servitude or prostitution with false promises of a love-marriage. Many others fall prey to one of the most horrific forms of trafficking – organ harvesting.
 
The focus of Every Daughter Matters is to assist the country of Nepal through training and resourcing trusted community partners.They work cross-culturally, in partnership with people on the ground to achieve effective and long-lasting outcomes, working with indigenous organisations who have established runs-on-the-board in the community development and anti-trafficking space.
 
In Nepal. Every Daughter Matters has partnered with Aashish (Blessings) Social Service Nepal to disrupt the trafficking of women and girls across the Nepali border into India to help bring an end to this corrupt and degrading industry.
 
Darren was thanked for his attendance, and bringing this issue to the fore.
For more information, and how you may donate to this cause, please follow this link:  https://everydaughtermatters.org.au/