Enact law to stop child trafficking, child rights group urges State govt

CHENNAI: In the backdrop of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) has urged the government to enact the Trafficking in Persons (prevention, care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.

The organisation also pointed out that there is no comprehensive legislation for ending all forms of trafficking in persons and effectively rescuing and rehabilitating the survivors. They urged the State government to take a strong commitment to rehabilitate the victims with adequate fund allocation by the union government.

The letter by TNCRW also requested simplifying the process for accessing the victim compensation, and requested a comprehensive understanding of the socio-economic and political vulnerability suffered by the survivor with clear timeliness.

“Untraced missing children should be acknowledged as trafficked children and concerned departments should initiate swift action for rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reintegration process,” urged the organisation.

The members of TNCRW have additionally requested to strengthen the community-based rehabilitation model with a slew of opportunities for the different kinds of survivors rescued from sexual exploitation, labour trafficking, forced labour and bonded labour.

Subsequently, apart from enacting the bill, TNCRW has called for the strengthening of anti-child trafficking units and anti-human trafficking units, and a need for a comprehensive mechanism to protect the migrants to address the vulnerabilities faced by them, setting up of village, ward, block, district-level child protection committees.

And, the organisation urged these committees to identify and track the families and individuals that are vulnerable to trafficking and help in creating a conducive environment for survival and their development.

“The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) should be made operational and given adequate financial and human resources to function effectively in delivering the mandate,” the letter said.

Specifically, by urging action from the government, TNCRW has demanded efforts from the government to deter traffickers by addressing the root causes that led them to become traffickers.

“Victim assistance efforts to break the cycle of trafficking must be directed both at preventing victims from being re-trafficked and also at preventing victims from becoming traffickers,” stated the letter.

Additionally, it also spoke on the need to break the network of trafficking – mediators, contractors, and placement agencies.