A new study conducted by an institution attached to Harvard University’s Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Centre for Health and Human Rights in the U.S has concluded that despite increased awareness on child trafficking, there is a big gap between the policies on paper and on the ground realities for rehabilitation of child labuorers across the three northern States of Rajasthan, Bihar and Delhi.

The study covered the trafficking source State of Bihar, the transit State of Delhi, and the trafficking destination State of Rajasthan. Titled “Is This Protection?”.

According to the two study authors, Elizabeth Donger and Jacqueline Bhabha, there was an over dependence on the NGOs in the execution of raids, while rescue operations often did not serve the best interests of the child.

The lack of detailed operating procedures and centralized information systems leads to confusion about responsibilities as well as poorly planned raids.

The quality of immediate post-rescue care delivered is also uncertain, as the children do not receive adequate medical or counseling support and are often have to go through multiple interviews about their experiences.

Moreover, the entire exercise of rescue does not result in appropriate criminal action against employers or traffickers

The two authors say that the children who have never studied in school need dedicated services to facilitate their integration into a system of learning, while their families need structured and continuing support to relieve the risk that a child will be re-trafficked for money-making reasons.

Legally mandated and essential first information reports were sporadically filed and victimizers were rarely prosecuted, said the study as reported by English daily.

The survey produced rich data from interviews with 49 governmental and non-governmental actors in the three States and revealed inconsistencies in the government’s policies and their implementation.

Trafficking for forced labour constitutes violation of rights that affects thousands of children every year. “It is the government’s duty to institute sustained interventions that deliver access to health, education and financial security for these children and their families.”

As per the 2011 Census, about 4.3 million children were engaged in child labour. The government statistics indicated that over 1.26 lakh cases of trafficking for child labour were registered during 2011-12.

[Prepared by Seema Kumari from Media Sources]

  Human trafficking, India, TRAFFICKING