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Organization	Karuna Trust
Region	India
Website	Website
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Twitter	@Twitter
ProjectLeader	Akashamitra Turnbull

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Hundreds of young women arrive alone at Mumbai train station daily from rural parts of India, having fled domestic violence, forced underage marriage, denial to education and forced household labour. We fund specialist workers to identify and intercept these women directly at the train station before they are approached and coerced by traffickers into a life of further abuse. They are taken to a safe place by workers where they receive practical, emotional, psychological rehabilitation & support

Challenge

In India, 27% of girls are married before they are 18 years old and domestic abuse rates towards girls are high. Girls runaway from home to escape forced labour, forced marriage, violence and denial to education. From rural areas, they have no knowledge of where to go when they arrive at Dadar railway station, Mumbai. They are vulnerable to falling prey to traffickers who wait on platforms to meet them. It is estimated there is an 8 second window between arrival and being met by a trafficker.

Long-Term Impact

It is estimated that between 2020-2021 this project will be supporting 150 marginalised, young women. It is projected that 50 of these girls will pursue education or vocational training, 38 will gain stable jobs and 100 will gain access to their documentation. Due to the complex nature of their needs and previous trauma, after care is available to girls who move on from the project. Some young women arrive with their children who are also provided with specialist childcare and support.