Unfolding The Dark Reality Of Human Trafficking In India And The Need For New Anti-Trafficking Bill

“Trafficking is the most inhuman crime that puts a price tag on human beings”, said Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi on a special show to mark #WorldDayAgainstTrafficking In Persons. July 30 is marked as the World Day Against Trafficking In Persons. This year, the day highlights the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking. One such survivor is 19-year-old Mohammed Chotu from a rural village of Bihar. Trapped in the clutches of child labour, Chotu was separated from his family at the native age of 8 and sent to work.

Also Read: The Need To Rescue Children From The Cesspool Of Child Labour, Abuse And Exploitation

But, a new ray of hope shone in Chotu's life after he was rescued as a child labourer in 2008 and was reunited with his family. He could not bear the thought of another child being coerced into labour and therefore, decided to be a social activist. Soon after, the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation inducted him into Bal Ashram in Jaipur where he studied with other children whose fate had been turned around like Chotu's. Despite not having a formal education after Nursery, Chotu avenged his own circumstances by learning how to read and write in a short period of time and clearing his matriculation exam.

Today, Chotu teaches children of all ages and classes in his village. With Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, he travels from village to village through Mukti Caravan Campaign and rescues children. He also co-leads the campaign and educates people wherever he goes. It is his life's purpose now.

Also Read: Satyarthi Movement's Bal Mitra Gram And Mukti Caravan Are Empowering Children To Protect Their Rights

On World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, a special discussion was organised to understand the inhuman crime of trafficking, an exponential rise in cases of trafficking post COVID-19 pandemic and a new anti-trafficking bill which will soon be tabled in the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.

COVID-19 And The Rise In Cases Of Trafficking

Explaining the rise in cases of child trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dhananjay Tingal, Executive Director, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), said,

We rescued more than 9,000 children across India. This is not unusual; this is widespread. We came to know that children are being trafficked from Bihar to states like Telangana, Kerala and Gujarat.

BBA team was able to rescue children with the help of the Survivor-led Intelligence Network that provides real-time information about children being trafficked leading to their rescue and arrest of traffickers from buses and trains as well. The network is run by children who were rescued by BBA in the past.

Also Read: Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Social Media Emerging As A Route For Child Trafficking

Chotu who works on the ground as part of the Survivor-led Intelligence Network shared that during the pandemic, people who live hand to mouth faced a tough time as they were out of jobs and the government services were also not reaching them. As a result of this, their children were prone to be trafficked in lure of some money, he said.

Mr Tingal informed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government agencies were proactive and helped in rescuing children. He added,

We found a change in the attitude of the government officials. That was a very good sign from the government's end. On the other hand, the source district where the preventive action could be taken, they were silent.

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Talking about the rise in child trafficking, Sharmila Tagore, actor said,

It is heart-breaking that seven decades since independence, there has been a collective failure in this area and a deepening of crisis where children are concerned. Further, the pandemic has made it imperative, that we redraw our priorities as it has unfolded not only a mammoth health catastrophe but also brought to fore the renewed disruptions that have been experienced by children and their families. More and more children have been orphaned, displaced and trafficked during COVID-19. It is a demand-driven crime and we witnessed a rise in demand and supply in trafficking in recent times.

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Raising concern over child trafficking, Ms Tagore said, it involves both our present and our future. It affects the lives of millions of children. Children are people with rights; rights against exploitation, right against deprivation and the right to develop their full potential. The basic quality of life should be the right of all children, not just the privileged few, she added.

On this issue silence is violence. We are sadly a nation that refuses to see its children as our present wealth and future resources. Children disappear from our neighbourhood, our schools, and our communities. And yet, nobody seems to notice. Since we do not see the children, we do not see the traffickers either. India needs a new attitude towards its children, she said.

Also Read: A Gang-rape Of A 14-Year-Old From Bhopal Highlights The Dangers Of The Internet For Children

The Need For New Anti-Trafficking Bill

Jyoti Mathur, Executive Director (Training), Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation explained the problems with the existing trafficking bill that came into power in 2013 and defined trafficking for the first time in India in section 370. She said,

It looked at trafficking as a penal provision where even if the crime was grievous or more heinous in certain cases, the punishment was same. There was nothing for rehabilitation and care of the victims or re-victimisation of victims or different aggravated forms of trafficking.

Also Read: New Anti-Trafficking Bill To Be Tabled In The Parliament Proposes Higher And Graded Punishment If The Crime Is Committed Against A Child

A new bill against trafficking is set to be tabled in the current monsoon session of the parliament. Explaining what this new bill will bring to the table, Ms Mathur said,

Trafficking work is an organised crime so the new bill looks at this crime in an entity, as a comprehensive law where the prevention, care, rehabilitation aspects of the victim are taken care of together. The new bill says there is a provision for mandatory reporting. Anybody who finds a child being trafficked or going missing, then it is the responsibility of that person to report the matter to the police. In this bill, different aggravated forms of trafficking have been included where the punishment is higher. The rehabilitation parts of victims to prevent re-victimisation; not just of the victims but also the witnesses and complainants are also taken care of.

Also Read: Bachpan Bacho Andolan Rescues Three Siblings From Bengaluru Being Sexually Abused By Their Own Uncle, Supported By Grandmother

The bill provides for attachment and forfeiture of the proceeds for that property that traffickers get from trafficking, informed Ms Mathur. In fact, from the place where the crime is being committed, that property can also be attached and fortified, she added.

Under the new bill, the burden of proof in the case of women, children and the physical and mentally disabled is on the traffickers.

While signing off, Ms Tagore emphasised on the need for protective legislation for children. She said, despite having good laws, thousands of children are trafficked. We need to enforce and implement those laws. Also, we need a strong commitment from the government of the day. The government's capacity must match the viciousness of the trafficker, she added.

We must remember this crusade against trafficking has a strong bearing on the future of our country and our children. And each one of us must feel the responsibility and do the best we can. It is not about “I” versus “them”. It's about “Us”, she said.

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