During 2025, Darren Reynolds presented to Perth Rotary about Every Daughter Matters, the charity which prevents human trafficking between India and Nepal. Read on for the latest update from Darren:
Every Daughter Matters has some exciting news with the appointment of a new CEO, Grace Wong. Since founding EDM in 2020, Ross Nancarrow has led the organisation from a bold vision into a growing movement protecting vulnerable women and children in Nepal, but the season has come for Ross to move into the role of Executive Chair of the Board. Grace joins us with extensive experience in anti-trafficking, advocacy and cross-cultural leadership having previously worked in a leadership role at International Justice Mission.
We finished the year of 2025 strongly having conducted 1,576 documented interceptions, reintegration of 1,502 individuals into their families or communities and 1,554 cases handed to law enforcement. Each one of those numbers represent one life that is spared the horrors of what was likely to befall them had they successfully crossed the border into India.
Many of the young women intercepted fall foul of the simplest of premises such as a recent 17-year-old who was intercepted during routine border surveillance by our frontline staff. Although working in Kathmandu with her elder brother and sister-in-law, she came into contact with a stranger she met through social media who promised to arrange a job for her in Goa, India. She also had expectations of marriage. This individual swore her to secrecy and travelled with her to the border intending to cross through the Nepalgunj border crossing point. Once intercepted, Nepal police investigated the trafficker who, it turns out, was already married with children. A few days later, once all the legal and administrative procedures were completed, she was safely reunited with her family.
An essential part of our frontline work is the time that the women and girls spend under our care in the Emergency Safe Homes that we have at each surveillance booth. They are offered comprehensive post-rescue care and counselling as they come to understand their situation and are educated about the brutal reality of human trafficking. The more education we are able to provide, the more likely that vulnerable women and children are able to avoid being caught up in human trafficking and exploitation.
Darren Reynolds,
Head of Human Engagement WA,
Every Daughter Matters