Trafficking of Women and Children : Effective Rescue and Post-Rescue Strategy
Reviewing of Implementation of Laws and Policies related to Trafficking, in order to achieve an effective rescue and post rescue strategy was the focus at the 2-day workshop conducted by the Commission in collaboration with PRAYAS at Mumbai on 27 and 28 February 2004.
The participants of the workshop were Judicial officers, Police officers, Government officials, representatives of important non-governmental organizations working in the field and representatives from 11 states namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and NCT of Delhi, where the problem of trafficking is rampant.
Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson of the Commission pointed out that anti-trafficking measures have to take into account the role of traffickers and steps to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate the victims of trafficking. He stated that the victims of trafficking should be decriminalized and provided with free legal assistance. The privacy and identity of victims of trafficking must be protected at all times to safeguard them from attempts at retaliation by their traffickers, he said. He also stressed the need for a rehabilitation policy that not only includes repatriating the victims to their native places or exploring income generating options for them, but also includes their human rights as well as the right of these rescued women and girls to be a part of society rights which are currently being denied.
Justice Sujata V. Manohar, Member, NHRC while addressing the participants stated that one of the problem areas related to the kind of rescue operations that are conducted and the nature of help rendered to these victims at the protective institutions. The general attitude of the law enforcing officials, she said, is one of gross indifference and apathy, a clear pointer to the reason as to why trafficking in women and children still persists. Important points and suggestions that came out at the workshop were -
· Need for a national data base on profile of traffickers in order to combat the menace of trafficking
· Need to have a specialized agency, both at the central and state level (including the district level) to deal with the issue of rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked people into the mainstream.
· Need for departmental co-ordination between the implementing agencies, which at present is lacking.
The participants of the workshop were Judicial officers, Police officers, Government officials, representatives of important non-governmental organizations working in the field and representatives from 11 states namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and NCT of Delhi, where the problem of trafficking is rampant.
Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson of the Commission pointed out that anti-trafficking measures have to take into account the role of traffickers and steps to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate the victims of trafficking. He stated that the victims of trafficking should be decriminalized and provided with free legal assistance. The privacy and identity of victims of trafficking must be protected at all times to safeguard them from attempts at retaliation by their traffickers, he said. He also stressed the need for a rehabilitation policy that not only includes repatriating the victims to their native places or exploring income generating options for them, but also includes their human rights as well as the right of these rescued women and girls to be a part of society rights which are currently being denied.
Justice Sujata V. Manohar, Member, NHRC while addressing the participants stated that one of the problem areas related to the kind of rescue operations that are conducted and the nature of help rendered to these victims at the protective institutions. The general attitude of the law enforcing officials, she said, is one of gross indifference and apathy, a clear pointer to the reason as to why trafficking in women and children still persists. Important points and suggestions that came out at the workshop were -
· Need for a national data base on profile of traffickers in order to combat the menace of trafficking
· Need to have a specialized agency, both at the central and state level (including the district level) to deal with the issue of rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked people into the mainstream.
· Need for departmental co-ordination between the implementing agencies, which at present is lacking.