Author: stopglobalmovement

On 20 January 2026, a jacket distribution programme was organised at Tigri for the students of RBCT–STOP. The initiative aimed to support students during the winter season and ensure their comfort and well-being while attending educational and community activities. The presence of the distinguished guests encouraged the students and highlighted the importance of collective efforts in promoting child welfare and education.

NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi | 12–13 January 2026

STOP (ATSEC- Delhi Chapter) participated in the two-day National Symposium on Women and Child Development held at the NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi, organized by ATSEC- Jharkhand Chapter. The organization was represented by Executive Director Smritikana Ghosh Paul, Project Coordinator Narayani Bhattacharya and Project Associate Paridhi Negi. The symposium convened representatives from government institutions, civil society organisations, policy experts, and practitioners to reflect on existing challenges and strengthen protection systems for women and children across India.

During the symposium, Smritikana Ghosh Paul, ED, shared insights drawn from STOP’s extensive field experience, emphasising the importance of a prevention-first approach to addressing human trafficking. The organisation highlighted how unsafe migration, socio-economic vulnerabilities, and structural gaps continue to expose women and children to exploitation, underscoring the need for early identification and community-level interventions.

Key issues presented by STOP included critical gaps in source area mapping, which limit proactive identification of vulnerable communities, and the misconception that the absence of registered cases—such as in AHTUs in Uttarakhand—equates to the absence of trafficking. STOP stressed that underreporting and weak outreach often mask the true scale of the problem. Field-based interventions undertaken by STOP in West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi were shared as practical examples of prevention, coordination with law enforcement, and survivor support.

The organisation also drew attention to the shrinking shelter home infrastructure in several states, highlighting the growing protection gap for survivors due to the withdrawal of NGOs from shelter operations. Positive examples of effective government–NGO collaboration from Himachal Pradesh were presented to demonstrate how coordinated responses can significantly strengthen prevention and protection mechanisms.

Ms. Smritikana Ghosh Paul, Executive Director of STOP, participated as a panellist in the session on women and child trafficking, contributing to discussions on trends, vulnerabilities, and survivor-centric responses. The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, allowing for deeper engagement with participants.

STOP also set up an exhibition stall that remained active throughout both days of the symposium. The stall showcased awareness materials on human trafficking, unsafe migration, child marriage, and child protection, facilitating dialogue and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.

Through its participation, STOP reaffirmed its commitment to prevention, protection, and survivor-centric action, and to working collaboratively with government and civil society to ensure the rights, safety, and dignity of women and children.

On 12 January 2026, Ms. Roma Debabrata, Founder of Ramola Bhar Charitable Trust (RBCT), along with Mr. Debabrata Chakraborti, visited one of the widow-welfare homes, called Maitri Ghar Vidhwa Ashram in Vrindaban, Uttar Pradesh. The visit was undertaken to extend support to elderly widows residing at the Ashram and to observe the living conditions and facilities available to them.

During the whole visit, a total of 125 blankets were distributed to different widows in view of the winter season. In addition, a token amount of financial assistance was provided individually to each widow as a gesture of care and solidarity.

It was observed that nearly 95 percent of the widows residing at the Ashram were Bengali women. The residents appeared well cared for and maintained with dignity. A notable observation was a 109-year-old woman who was still actively engaged in work, reflecting the supportive environment of the Ashram.

The overall living conditions at Maitri Ghar Vidhwa Ashram were found to be satisfactory. Medical facilities were available and accessible. The quality and quantity of food provided were adequate. The ambience of the Ashram was clean and well maintained, and appropriate security arrangements were in place to ensure the safety of the residents. It was also noted that the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, provides daily meals to the residents, ensuring regular food support.

The visit highlighted the importance of collective efforts in ensuring dignity, care, and well-being for elderly widows, and reaffirmed RBCT’s commitment to supporting such welfare initiatives.

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Historical Background

From the nineteenth century into the early twentieth century, widowhood among women in Bengal was closely connected to the widespread practice of child marriage. Girls were often married at a very young age, frequently to men much older than themselves. Given poor health conditions and lower life expectancy, many men died early, leaving behind widows who were still adolescents or young adults.

Social Conditions in Bengal

Widowhood was socially not acceptable, particularly if they were young women. Widows were excluded from normal family and social life, and remarriage was discouraged or prohibited in many communities. Young widows who were pregnant or had small children faced even stronger rejection, as their situation was viewed as a social burden and a source of stigma for the family.

Displacement to Vrindaban

Families that were unwilling or unable to support widows often sent them away, sometimes under the pretext of pilgrimage or moral duty. Over time, Vrindaban became one of the places where such women accumulated because it had shelters, informal support networks, and a long history of receiving abandoned widows. This pattern continued for decades, resulting in a large population of widows from Bengal living in the town.

Life in Vrindaban

For many years, widows lived in conditions of extreme precarity. Survival depended on begging, group singing in exchange for small amounts of food or money, and charity. Most had no stable income, limited access to healthcare, and little possibility of returning to family life. Language barriers further isolated Bengali widows from the local population.

Reform and Continuing Reality

Legal reforms and social movements challenged child marriage and restrictions on widow remarriage over time, leading to a reduction in the creation of very young widows. Laws addressing child marriage and recognising widows’ rights altered formal norms, but did not undo the consequences of earlier practices. Many women who had already been displaced remained in Vrindaban throughout their lives, ageing within institutional shelters and informal systems of care. The continued presence of elderly widows from Bengal reflects the long-term effects of child marriage, social exclusion, and delayed social reform rather than an ongoing movement of abandonment.

On 8 January 2026, a jacket distribution programme was organised at Tughlakabad for the students of RBCT–STOP. The jackets were distributed by Retd. IAS Officer and former Chief Information Commissioner, Mr. Amitava Bhattacharyya, along with Prof. Ranjana Bhattacharya.

The initiative aimed to support students during the winter season and ensure their comfort and well-being while attending educational and community activities. The presence of the distinguished guests encouraged the students and highlighted the importance of collective efforts in promoting child welfare and education.

Date: 30–31 December 2025
Location: STOP Tughlakabad Community Centre

To strengthen community access to essential government services, STOP organized a two-day PAN–Aadhaar linking camp at its Tughlakabad Community Centre. The camp aimed to support community members in verifying their PAN–Aadhaar linking status and resolving related documentation issues.

During the camp, participants received on-the-spot assistance for PAN–Aadhaar linking, guidance on corrective measures where discrepancies were identified, and information on the importance of maintaining updated and compliant official records.

The initiative contributed to reducing documentation gaps while enhancing community awareness about government procedures, statutory compliance, and digital inclusion. By facilitating direct access to these services, the camp supported smoother engagement with public systems and promoted informed participation in formal governance processes.

Ramola Bhar Charitable Trust, Project STOP organised a State Wide Consultation on Collaborative Action on Women and Child Protection in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, bringing together government departments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations to strengthen coordination on issues affecting women and children.

The consultation began with a welcome by Roma Debabrata, Founder of RBCT, followed by an introduction from Narayani Bhattacharya, Documentation Officer, who outlined STOP’s work and highlighted key concerns such as unsafe migration, trafficking, violence, and cyber enabled exploitation in the state. Smritikana Ghosh Paul, Executive Director, STOP, presented the statutory roles of participating departments, shared insights from NCRB data, and emphasised the need for stronger inter departmental coordination across prevention, rescue, legal action, and rehabilitation.

The discussion was further enriched by Vidya Negi from the State Women’s Commission, who reflected on the social construction of gender and how it contributes to discrimination and violence against women. Two panel discussions followed, focusing on preventive systems, community level interventions, and operational challenges related to trafficking, child labour, unsafe migration, and emerging risks. Representatives from the Women Police, Anti Human Trafficking Unit, Department of Women and Child Development, State Rural Livelihoods Mission, and civil society organisations shared field experiences and practical recommendations.

The consultation concluded with reflections on strengthening preventive mechanisms, improving coordination in rescue and legal processes, and ensuring long term care, rehabilitation, and capacity building. Closing remarks were shared by Keval Ram Siranta, Nodal Officer, Himachal Pradesh, and Rakesh Kumar from Youth Club Barog, outlining next steps for continued collaborative action across the state.

Regional Exchange and Networking for CSOs on Migration and Labour Mobility
11th December 2025 | The Lalit, New Delhi
Organised with support from GIZ

The Indo–Nepal Peer-to-Peer Exchange was organised as a regional learning and networking platform for civil society organisations working on migration and labour mobility in India and Nepal. The exchange brought together CSOs, media professionals, international organisations, and technical experts to strengthen cross-border collaboration and peer learning on migration-related issues. STOP was represented by Senior Programme Manager, Smritikana Ghosh Paul, and Project Associate, Paridhi Negi.

The programme focused on migration and labour mobility trends, policy frameworks, and institutional responses, alongside discussions on ethical media engagement and responsible representation of migrant workers’ experiences. Sessions included peer introductions by participating organisations, technical inputs from ILO India and ILO Nepal, a policy update by NNSM Nepal, and expert-led discussions on media engagement and narrative building.

The exchange concluded with collective reflections on shared challenges, opportunities for collaboration, and pathways for sustained regional engagement.

RBCT–Project STOP participated in a networking event hosted at the British High Commission, New Delhi, as part of the global 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence campaign. STOP was represented by Narayani Bhattacharya, Documentation Officer, with the aim of strengthening institutional presence and building connections with organisations working on gender justice and human rights.

The event brought together civil society organisations, academic and development institutions, legal professionals, counsellors, and activists. Meaningful interactions took place with organisations such as J-PAL, Management Development Institute, Rubaroo, Jagori, LLF, along with independent lawyers and trauma-informed practitioners. The discussions focused on shared challenges, survivor-centric approaches, and possibilities for future collaboration. The event helped strengthen networks, encourage cross-learning, and reinforce the importance of collective action in addressing gender-based violence.

Ramola Bhar Charitable Trust – Project STOP participated in an interface programme focused on connecting aftercare youth with potential employers in the social development sector on the 28th of November, 2025. The event created space for young people transitioning out of aftercare to share their skills, aspirations, and readiness for employment.

Youth-led presentations and interactive discussions highlighted the importance of mentorship, preparedness, and collaboration in building dignified employment pathways. Ramola Bhar Charitable Trust – Project STOP was represented by Paridhi Negi, who engaged with stakeholders on youth potential, sector readiness, and inclusive employment opportunities.

The programme strengthened dialogue between youth and employers and reaffirmed a shared commitment to expanding sustainable career pathways for aftercare youth in the social sector.