ISLAMABAD -- The countries making up the South Asia region support about one-quarter of the planet's population, with a large number of people unemployed and living below the poverty line. This socioeconomic situation has helped increase social crimes especially like human trafficking, especially of women and children. Prostitution, which is also included in human trafficking, is an intolerant social crime and a major issue in these countries.
The ratio of human trafficking is high in this region, with girls kidnapped from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and trafficked to mostly Gulf States, where there is a bevy of rich clientele.
Some studies estimate that more than 6,000 girls are being sold to India each year, which adds to the huge number of 172,0000 girls, mostly from Nepal, working as prostitutes in India. India has around 2.3 million prostitutes working in the region. Most of the girls are driven to this "profession" due to poverty, marriage or adoption.