Delhi raises its voice against the scourge of human trafficking at a two-day National Consultation

New Delhi: Shakti Vahini organizes a two-day “National Consultation to Combat Human Trafficking” with technical support from National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and in partnership with Prajwala, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) and India Child Protection Fund (ICPF). The national consultation will deliberate upon important topics related trafficking such as emerging challenges, prosecution of traffickers and ensuring access to justice for victims. The two-day national consultation was inaugurated today with the lighting of lamp by the Chief Guest Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi along with other key dignitaries including Rupali Banerjee Singh, Member Secretary, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women (NCW) and Sanjay Chander IPS, Director General of Police, Railway Protection Force.

Speaking on the importance of the two-day consultation regarding a heinous crime like human trafficking that continues as a scourge for our society, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi said, “When people with good heart and mind assemble at one place with a noble purpose, they ignite fire of knowledge and offer their best, it then becomes a collective resolve or knowledge and eventually results in collective action. The knowledge that it is created becomes knowledge for all and enlightens the entire universe. The collective knowledge then can become shared wealth for all. Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi further said, “We need an independent and strong law against human trafficking it is the need of the hour to fight effectively against the crime”. He narrated the story of Farida and Sabo, who were victims of child trafficking, slavery and labour and were rescued 40 years ago by Kailash Satyarthi in his first ever rescue operation. He also commended the valiant efforts of all the key players who were involved in his first ever rescue operation. We had to fight for setting up separate National Commission for Women and Children. “We must keep the spark alive in our hearts and ignite the compassion from within to fight against this scourge of human trafficking that impacts the lives and minds of our daughters and women” said Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

“Human Trafficking” is an organized crime and violation of fundamental rights. In 2011, Indian government ratified the UN Protocol that strongly reflected the need to take effective action to combat this organised crime. In 2013, Indian government codified human trafficking in penal laws by amending Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). In 2017, affirming it’s commitment to combat child labour India ratified the two Core Conventions of International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 138 regarding admission of age to employment and Convention 182 regarding worst forms of Child Labour.

Over the last ten years the India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has undertaken exemplary efforts in not only developing a comprehensive framework to combat human trafficking but has even issued detailed advisories to states on some of the urgent steps required to be taken by states to curb this crime. Central law enforcement agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agencies (NIA) have been empowered to investigate inter-state organized crime of human trafficking. Legal provisions like the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act, 2015 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 have been enacted to combat trafficking.

Under Mission Vatsalya, Ministry of Women and Child, has created a robust and responsive child protection institutional framework which has responded excellently in terms of ensuring care and protection of vulnerable children. “Track The Child Portal” and various rounds of “Operation Muskaan” in different states has led to identification of thousands of missing children across the country. Besides these, Labour Ministry has brought in place a standard operating protocol to undertake rescue and investigation of cases of child labour. “PENCIL portal” has been created to monitor rehabilitation of children rescued from child labour. Also, in order to respond to newer forms of online crimes against women and children the Government has brought in amendment of laws and creation of Cyber Police Station across the country. A national scheme “Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C)” has been created to act as nodal point in the fight against cybercrime by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Welcoming the stakeholders and participants Rupali Banerjee Singh, Member Secretary, NCPCR said, “Our joint efforts will surely succeed in combating child trafficking”.

Rekha Sharma, chairperson of National Commission of Women (NCW) said, “Our organization appeals to all civil society members to come forward and join us in the fight against human trafficking especially girls and women. We have found that many family members are involved in selling off their daughters and women for money and sustenance and this needs to be stopped. We need these kinds of awareness programmes to spread the message against human trafficking”.

Sanjay Chander IPS, Director General of Police, Railway Protection Force said, “RPF has made curbing of human trafficking as one of its major objective under the sustainable goal targets. Last year in May, we signed an agreement with Bachpan Bachao Andolan for training and capacity building of our officials, conducting sensitization and awareness campaigns and sharing live inputs for joint rescue operation. Our collaboration with Bachpan Bachao Andolan has resulted in rescuing 1686 children from trafficking”.

Despite having tough laws to combat a heinous crime like Human Trafficking, India continues to see rise in such crime especially involving minor children and women. The national consultation intends to brainstorm on these burning issues and will appeal to the Union government for enacting the pending anti-human trafficking Bill.