Joshi, Sunil Kumar, Post Doc

By bjorn on 18 Jun | 0 comments

Short Biography
Dr. Sunil Kumar Joshi is Associate Professor of Community Medicine at Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal. He teaches undergraduate and post graduate medical students. He is also Adjunct Faculty of Public Health for Kent State University College of Public Health, USA. He is a medical doctor specialized in Occupational Medicine, Diabetology, and PhD in injury and violence prevention. He is involved in violence and injuries prevention activities in Nepal since 2006 as a National Consultant for World Health Organization/Ministry of Health and Population. Dr. Sunil Kumar Joshi and Dr. Katarina Swahnberg have received a Swedish Research Council International Planning Grant for 2010 for the project: Hidden Issue- Women and Girls Trafficking in Nepal.

GEXcel Project, Theme 7 & 8
Human trafficking is the fastest growing, criminal industry in the world. But, relatively little is known about the issue of human trafficking and the effectiveness of programmes aimed at combating trafficking and rehabilitating victims/survivors. Trafficking of Nepalese women and girls to Indian brothels was established in 1960. About 50 percent of Nepal's female sex workers have previously worked in Mumbai and more than 200,000 Nepalese girls are involved in the Indian sex trade. Over the past few years, research has been a crucial component of anti-trafficking measures, but statistical data on trafficking victims remains widely varied. The Government of Nepal has stressed the importance of research in human trafficking which is urgently required in its Action Plan to combat women and child prostitution. Research can motivate the government and civil society to take action once the extent of the problem is proven.

This project is a joint collaboration between Linköping University, Sweden and Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal. The research group has an extensive experience in research on gender based violence, as well as in teaching and in therapeutic work within the field. The overall aim for this research is to contribute to the prevention of trafficking of women and girls. The first aim is to evaluate an intervention program against trafficking of women and girls from Nepal to India. The evaluation will be based on both subjective and objective measures. Questionnaires will be developed to interview the victims of trafficking, and other concerned stakeholders including policy makers, high government officials and law enforcement officials. A set of ten guidelines for interviewing trafficked women will be used to maintain research ethics throughout the study. Data will be collected, and transcribed, and translated into English in Nepal, while the analyses and writing of scientific reports will be done in Sweden collaboratively by Dr Sunil Kumar Joshi, who will be enrolled for 3 months, and Dr Katarina Swahnberg, who will be enrolled for 2 months, including the peak period 2010-10-11 to 2010- 10-22. Data collection in Nepal will be done with the help of a non government organization called Community Action Centre – Nepal (CAC - Nepal). Researchers from CAC Nepal will assist in data analysis and writing of scientific reports.

The second aim is to develop a research plan for an intervention study against trafficking of women and girls from Nepal to India, on the basis of the results in the evaluation study mentioned above and literature studies.