Youth

Despite these tensions, many Sri Lankans express cautious optimism about the recent crackdown’s potential to disrupt entrenched trafficking networks, though some warn that without sustained investments in education, rehabilitation and community support, the cycle of addiction and crime will persist.

International human rights organisations have urged Dhaka to adopt urgent measures to curb hate speech, bolster protections for journalists, and prosecute individuals involved in mob violence.

The accord, signed at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, comes three months after mass protests shook the country.

HRW has demanded that prosecutions must span ranks – from officers to mob leaders – alongside reforms to curb corruption and bolster digital rights.

As protests grow, human rights defenders are calling on Pakistan’s new administration to take immediate steps.

The proposed government measures, if implemented, could provide a critical lifeline – helping these young women transition with dignity into stable livelihoods and breaking the cycle of exploitation.

While the government emphasises protection and better age verification, the new regime raises complex trade-offs around privacy, data security, and individual rights.

Even as relief plans are underway, many warn that rebuilding will not just require bricks and mortar – but a renewed social contract that can lay the foundations for more inclusive and resilient growth.