Society should jointly prevent human trafficking: Kadri

Mumbai, Apr 17 (UNI) National Director of Save the Children (India) Vipula Kadri has said society should jointly prevent human trafficking as it violates human dignity.

Ms Kadri told UNI that members of civil society including police, media, family, political leaders. Panchayati Raj institutions and religious leaders should play a role in preventing human trafficking of minor girls.

''Prevention is a larger concept and should be seen from the point as to why there is demand for girls and who can prevent trafficking,'' Ms Kadri said.

She said trafficking has been recognised as the biggest hurdle in different developmental plans. It is an issue interwoven with sex tourism, labour migration, forced marriages, bonded labour and other similar practices.

She also cited the findings of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which found that demand for girl children was high and the average age of the trafficked child was coming down.

Apart from this, the study revealed that 70 per cent of the trafficked children were from socially deprived sections of society, 62 per cent reached brothel before 18 years of age, 58 per cent had been arrested earlier, 41 per cent were released by brothel owners.

''The NHRC study has shown that our responses till now have been able to address problems that lie on the tip of the iceberg. The police have been making efforts despite the existing problems,'' she said.

According to the NHRC report 50 per cent of women in brothels have children living with them, who are also at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation. They need to be rescued in a sensitive and rights-based manner.'' ''The report of the National Study on child abuse titled 'Study on Child Abuse: India 2007' in association with NHRC gives major findings of physical by abused children. Asom, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi reported highest incidence of sexual assault, children on street, children at work and children in institutional care reported highest incidence of sexual assault. 50 per cent abusers are people known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility,'' she added.

UNI