In an attempt to combat India’s increasing human trafficking problem, over 300 anti-human trafficking units are being set up throughout the country and 10,000 police officers trained specifically to handle cases of human trafficking.

60,000 children at risk

The problem of trafficking in India is massive; informed estimates show that India has more slaves than all the other countries in the world combined. Earlier this month, the Hindustan Times (8 March) reported that 60,000 children went missing in India during 2009 compared with 44,000 in 2004. The fear is that significant numbers have been trafficked to work as child labourers or in prostitution. Half are likely to be girls trafficked into brothels or domestic servitude.500 children that went missing in Delhi last year have still not been found.

The Indian Government set up a scheme last year called 'Strengthening the law enforcement response in India against Trafficking in Persons through Training and Capacity Building' (see December news article). The Scheme has two components: establishing integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and training trainers for the police courses on trafficking. Since the scheme began 110 units have been set up at a cost of £1.2 million.

Successes and setbacks

The AHTUs are already seeing some success. In the Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, 16 girls under the age of seven were rescued from brothels by a recently formed AHTU. The girls had been abducted from their homes and sold into the sex trade, to begin working as soon as they reached puberty. Reports suggest that the victims are from scheduled tribes, who are often included in the broad category of Dalits.

While the authorities are taking the issue of human trafficking seriously, there is still criticism from within Indian political parties about the poor enforcement of anti-trafficking laws. As India’s central government makes laws but relies on state governments to enforce them, Home Minister P. Chidambaram responded to the criticism by saying that the Central Government did not want to undermine the responsibility of the federal state authorities to enforce the laws locally.

Local initiatives

However, initiatives are being undertaken at a local state level. In Delhi, for example, High Court judges, Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khamna have issued a range of directives concerning procedures to ensure that effective action is taken when children go missing in the city. This includes setting up a special task force to track missing children and to target gangs involved in child trafficking. They have also issued instructions for what to do after children have been found, seeking to strike a balance between victim care and gathering information about why they went missing. Parents are to be counselled so that they do not aggravate the trauma suffered by their children. Schools have been rebuked for striking the names of missing children from their rolls without making real efforts to find out where they were. The judges said they would not tolerate apathy or insensitivity from the authorities.

In Mumbai, the first special court to deal only with cases of sex trafficking is now in operation. Swati Chauhan, the court's magistrate says, "I am the judge in only court in India which hears all the cases of trafficking under the ITPA (Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act) in Mumbai. I feel that such courts are needed in Delhi, Goa, Pune and Kolkata". Over 150,000 people are known to be trafficked within the region every year - mostly for sex work, but also for labour, forced marriages and as part of the organ trade.

Dr Joseph D’souza, International President of Dalit Freedom Network, said, “I welcome the steps that some local authorities are taking to address the issue of human trafficking. It is vital that every effort be made to enforce the law to prevent trafficking, to bring the perpetrators to justice, and to rescue and care for victims. The vast majority of those affected are Dalits, who are among the most marginalised in society and whose extreme poverty makes them so vulnerable to trafficking and slavery. Everyone has to pull their weight to end this human rights atrocity, and to restore dignity and freedom where it is most needed.”

Champion Dalit Freedom

Dalit Freedom Network UK is calling on the British public to become Dalit Freedom Champions. The role of Champions includes lobbying British politicians and other people of influence to encourage the authorities in India in their anti-trafficking initiatives. In particular DFN UK wants to see improvements in the enforcement of anti-trafficking legislation and higher standards of victim care and protection.

Find out how you can become a Dalit Freedom Champion.