Founder and Chairperson of Maiti Nepal
Anuradha Koirala is the founder and chairperson of Maiti Nepal, a non-governmental organization established in 1993 to combat human sex trafficking. Ms. Koirala has earned respect and recognition for the courage she has demonstrated in fighting against human traffickers, her legacy of rescuing girls from red-light districts and her relentless work in preventing girls from being trafficked across the India-Nepal border. She is a recipient of 38 national and international awards in recognition of her courageous acts and lifetime achievement furthering the cause of children’s and women’s rights. She received the Padma Shri Award in 2017. Ms. Anuradha Koirala was also the CNN Hero of 2010, following which her work has garnered further attention and well-deserved commendation from across the globe.