Concerning the Anti-Trafficking Law

An estimated 9,000 youngsters were recovered in India between April 2020 and June 2021 after being exploited for labor. Four youngsters, aged 12 to 16, died in November 2020 after being transported for work from Bihar to Rajasthan; several of them had been beaten. An estimated 9,000 youngsters were recovered in India between April 2020 and June 2021 after being exploited for labor.

Over the course of ten months, the Childline India hotline received 44 lakh distress calls. Over the course of a year, 2,000 children have arrived at its shelter houses, with 800 of them being rescued from dangerous working circumstances. Between April and August 2020, almost 10,000 incidents of child weddings were monitored. Increased Internet access has resulted in an upsurge in cyber-trafficking in recent years.

In March 2021, the Indian government confessed in Parliament that it does not have any national-level statistics on incidents of cyber trafficking. The effectiveness of various initiatives introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs to increase cyber crime investigation and prosecution has yet to be determined. In its report on global human trafficking, the US Department of State still lists India as a Tier-2 nation.

The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care, and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021, has been proposed by the Indian government. This bill intends to address all elements of human trafficking, including the social and economic roots of the crime, traffickers’ punishment, and survivors’ protection and rehabilitation. Human trafficking is a crime in and of itself, but it also serves as a catalyst for a number of other crimes. It promotes child labour, child marriage, prostitution, bonded labour, forced beggary, drug-related crimes, corruption, terrorism, and other illegal industries by creating a parallel black economy.

In India, there is no shortage of anti-trafficking legislation, but enforcement is inadequate. He believes that bringing in the National Investigation Agency and raising the penalties for crimes deserve further discussion. AHTUs/committees at the national, state, and district levels are also included in the draught Bill. However, their proper operation can not be taken for granted. More severe regulations, notably the death sentence, have not been proven to have a larger deterrent impact. The Draught Bill, on the other hand, appears to be lacking in subtlety.

India is celebrating its 75th anniversary of independence. There is no greater gift to India than children’s freedom. The SehMat Foundation is urging Parliament to enact the strong anti-trafficking bill as soon as possible. No country can claim to be civilized if it allows its children to be bought and sold.

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