<!-- IMAGE -->
Indian pop star Sunidhi Chauhan and Nepalese stars Nima Rumba, Kranti Ale, and Nalina Chitrakar will take a stand against human trafficking at a September 5th concert in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The performance will be the first in a series of free "MTV EXIT, (End Exploitation and Trafficking) Live in Nepal" concerts in Pokhara, Dharan, and Hetauda this September.
The September 5th concert will be held at 5 p.m. at Jawalakhel Stadium and hosted by television and film star Malvika Subba, who narrated the MTV EXIT documentary "SOLD: AN MTV EXIT Special." Mr. Subba is the MTV EXIT campaign's ambassador in Nepal.
The MTV EXIT campaign extends across all of Asia and is produced by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and MTV (Music Television) a cable television network based in the United States. At the concerts anti-trafficking organizations Maiti Nepal and ABC Nepal will provide information on how to combat human trafficking.
"I am incredibly proud to perform at this important concert," Sunidhi Chauhan said. "I hope that through my music and involvement in the MTV EXIT campaign that millions of people learn about this tragic form of slavery."
Kevin Rushing, USAID's Mission Director said, "efforts to stop human trafficking have been hampered by the public's lack of awareness about the severity of the problem." He noted, "Victims of trafficking are often young men and women – MTV's demographic – who are guilty only of wanting a better life. USAID is excited to fund this effort with MTV, in part because of their unique ability to reach millions of people – and prevent Nepalis from becoming victims."
Non-governmental organizations in Nepal estimate that as many as 15,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked to India annually," while 7,500 children are trafficked domestically for commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 Nepali girls become involuntary domestic workers each year within Nepal, according to the U.S. Department of State's 2009 "Trafficking in Persons Report."
The United States is committed to working with its international partners to put an end to the scourge of human trafficking.
