( CNN ) -- More than 17,000 women and girls from Nepal become sex slaves every year . Many end up in India , China or other Southeast Asian countries , and roughly half of them are children . Anuradha Koirala -- the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year -- has been fighting to end this sex trafficking for nearly two decades . Since 1993 , she and her organization , Maiti Nepal , have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 women and girls . Recently , Koirala partnered with actress Demi Moore on `` Nepal 's Stolen Children : A CNN Freedom Project Documentary . '' For the film , which premieres Sunday at 8 p.m . ET , Moore traveled to Nepal to meet Koirala and some of the people rescued by her group . CNN 's Kathleen Toner recently spoke with Koirala , 62 , about how her life has changed since being honored as Hero of the Year and what work remains to be done . Kathleen Toner : How did you feel when you were named Hero of the Year in November ? Anuradha Koirala : There were so many other people doing very good things who were being honored , so I was n't expecting it . I was shocked . I first thought of all of my girls at Maiti Nepal . I wished I was in front of them . I wished I was in my country . But I knew it was a chance to draw attention to the problem of sex trafficking . When I returned home , they had a big rally with thousands of youths . I realized that the whole country was eager to work hard to make Nepal trafficking-free . It was wonderful . Toner : How have things changed for you ? Koirala : I now feel that there is extra responsibility on me . I feel I must be even more committed since people around the globe are depending on me . I need to work even harder to get to the end . We are working so hard . Our work is the same as before ... but ( we want ) to monitor more of the border crossings . The border with Tibet is a very important area . ... It 's very difficult . People easily take a one-day pass to go across to Nepal , and no one monitors . We 've found many girls being taken across the border and being used in different entertainment sectors and brothels , so now ( we 're considering ) working there . At this point , the most important thing we have to do is surveillance and stop , stop , stop girls from being exploited . Toner : What was it like to work with Demi Moore on `` Nepal 's Stolen Children '' ? Koirala : She was superb . I have seen artists , film stars , musicians and all kinds of celebrities , but often they look very snobbish , very superior . She was very down-to-Earth . She knew the issue and was really committed . When we were working on the documentary , we had to go to the home of a girl who 'd been trafficked , but it was very difficult . Her village was in the mountains , and her home was on a very steep hill . It was a very hard walk for half an hour . ( Moore ) is very determined ( to help ) . When she came to Maiti and met the girls , she was so good with the children . She really is committed to this issue . If more people like her come into this field , then maybe we will succeed someday . Toner : What do people need to know about this issue ? Koirala : This problem of trafficking children and women needs to be addressed , because HIV and trafficking are synonymous with each other . The fundamental human rights of the girl child are being seriously violated . It is a heinous crime , and it harms the girls physically and psychologically . It 's also increasing the transmission of HIV to a larger population . We have to make more awareness , and everyone should be involved : NGOs , government ministries , police , media , community activists and the entire community . ( We ) ca n't reach every affected individual ; families and communities need to be assisted and encouraged to take responsibility . ... At the end , the whole theme is sensitizing and increasing awareness of the public on a large scale . Toner : It 's such a widespread problem . Do you think that you are making progress ? Koirala : Yes . If not , I would not have been chosen ( as CNN Hero of the Year ) . But more sensitizing and awareness is needed . Nothing is impossible if the whole world collaborates . If CNN supports us , if the U.S. government supports us , if all of the world supports us , why ca n't we ( end sex trafficking ) ? But I think I have to live also for another 20 years . See the full story on CNN Hero Anuradha Koirala : Rescuing girls from sex slavery .
Anuradha Koirala , the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year , is saving Nepalese from sex trafficking . Koirala and actress Demi Moore featured in `` Nepal 's Stolen Children , '' a CNN documentary . The film was released on October 22.