PRAYASS

Adult entertainment sector (AES) in Nepal has experienced significant growth in the recent years, extending beyond the capital and into various urban centers. While many people visit these venues for entertainment purposes, the sector also includes sex trade activities that exploit vulnerable workers, mainly young girls. The lack of awareness of their rights leaves many girls at risk of being exploited and subjected to sexual abuse. A survey by R4C in 2021 revealed that Pokhara alone has around 1200 girls and young women directly or indirectly involved in the AES. 

The PRAYASS (Protection from Risk and Assisting Young Girls and Women in Accessing Social Services) project aims to provide special care and protection services to children and young people, especially young girls who are at risk of abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. To achieve this goal, the project applies two strategic approaches: a. Preventive Approach and b. Rehabilitative Approach.

The Preventive Approach involves community empowerment activities, focusing on children and youth, particularly girls and young women. These activities include education programs, such as providing educational support to school going girls, running early childhood development centers, as well as remedial classes, career guidance sessions for high school girls, vocational training and job placements for unemployed youth, and awareness campaigns on various issues.

The Rehabilitative Approach works within the framework of the SHE Centre, with the focus on activities such as rescue of under-aged girls working in AES, transitional care and family reintegration, counseling and soft skills, career guidance and alternative career options both for under-aged girls and other women who want to exit the sector, networking with relevant stakeholders and influencing for policy change through advocacy.

This 3-year project started in January 2023 and will work in 9 underprivileged communities (3 communities each year) in Pokhara Metropolitan City.