Slumdog Millionaire Educates the World About the Harsh Realities Facing Women and Children in India
Eugene, OR — Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
The success of Slumdog Millionaire has brought attention to the plight of women in India. India Partners has received many inquiries from people regarding the validity of what they are seeing in the film. “Is India really that bad?” they ask, referring to the conditions in the slums. “Do girls really get coerced into sexual slavery?”
Sadly the answer to both of these questions is yes. In Mumbai, the city featured in Slumdog Millionaire, there are an estimated 120,000 prostitutes. Women and children from neighboring Nepal, Sri Lanka, and states within India, are often tricked into leaving their families and shipped like cargo to eager buyers. With over 3,000 dialects spoken in India, chances are they won’t speak the language, thus making it unlikely they will be able to escape.
There are an estimated 900,000 sex workers in India, 300,000 of which are believed to be children. Every year approximately 73,000 girls and women in India enter prostitution. Nearly half of them are victims of human trafficking.
Why is this happening? Because demand is high and there are huge profits to be made.
Globally, human trafficking is the third-largest source of profit from organized crime, after arms dealing and drug trafficking. According to a February 2009 U.N. report, human traffickers make an estimated $31.6 billion annually on their cargo, and for every 800 persons trafficked only one criminal is convicted.
And while there are laws against prostitution in India, enforcement is nearly impossible. It is estimated that over half of the brothel owners bribe officials and a third of them share their income with local authorities. Police studies show that the main obstacles to cracking down on child prostitution are the issues of rehabilitation and where to place and reintegrate all of the children that they rescue, because they literally have no place to go.
This is where India Partners is making a difference, by partnering with local efforts in Mumbai to bring solutions and resources to women and children trapped in this trade. India Partners helps women in India by training them to use their skills to legally earn a living and care for their families. India Partners is a resource for the public to engage in the work of indigenous humanitarian organizations bringing lasting, positive change for women in India.
As India gains recognition from productions like Slumdog Millionaire, India Partners would like to remind you that the poverty, abuse of children, and dehumanization of women and girls is very real. Indians incensed by these injustices are asking indigenous NGOs to unite and help bring resources to women and children seeking hope of a new life.
For 25 years India Partners has been working with indigenous organizations that provide women and children the education and job training they need to avoid being victims.
India Partners is a Christian international development and relief organization that has been supporting self-help and disaster relief projects in India since 1984. All are served regardless of caste, religion, gender, or creed.
Contact: Kaytie Fiedler
Tel: 503.309.4217
Email: kaytie@indiapartners.org