India

Questions

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Howell of Guildford on 24 May (WA 414-15), 25 May (WA 439) and 6 June (WA 55-6), which other agencies are involved along with the High Commission in New Delhi in a pilot project to improve the exchange of information between agencies dealing with the prevention of trafficking and the rehabilitation of victims of commercial sexual exploitation in India.[HL10204]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): Our high commission is currently supporting a £30,000 two-year pilot project to strengthen existing measures to combat trafficking of women and children in India. It focuses primarily on the victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The aim of the project is to improve the co-ordination and awareness between those agencies dealing with the prevention of sex trafficking, and the assistance and rehabilitation of those women affected by it. It will also enable agencies to respond more effectively to individual cases of sex trafficking (by locating and relocating victims and ensuring access to compensation among other measures).

The project is being implemented by ARZ, a Goa-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved in the assistance and rehabilitation of victims of commercial sexual exploitation. But the project involves a much broader network-including NGOs, state-level police authorities, child welfare committees and juvenile justice boards-across all major source and destination states for trafficking in India. It has also generated interest in Bangladesh. The project implementer is talking to the Government of India about how the network can be taken forward.

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Howell of Guildford on 24 May (WA 414-15), 25 May (WA 439) and 6 June (WA 55-6), what are the terms of the pilot project involving the High Commission in New Delhi to improve the exchange of information between agencies dealing with the prevention of trafficking and the rehabilitation of victims of commercial sexual exploitation in India, particularly the specific goals and timescale.[HL10205]

Lord Howell of Guildford: Our high commission is currently supporting a £30,000 two-year pilot project to strengthen existing measures to combat trafficking of women and children in India. It focuses primarily on the victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The aim of the project is to improve the co-ordination and awareness between those agencies dealing with the prevention of sex trafficking, and the assistance and rehabilitation of those women affected by it. It will also enable agencies to respond more effectively to individual cases of sex trafficking (by locating and relocating victims and ensuring access to compensation amongst other measures).

The project is being implemented by ARZ, a Goa-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved in the assistance and rehabilitation of victims of commercial sexual exploitation. But the project involves a much broader network-including NGOs, state-level police authorities, child welfare committees and juvenile justice boards-across all major source and destination states for trafficking in India. It has also generated interest in Bangladesh. The project implementer is talking to the Government of India about how the network can be taken forward.

Source: Lords Hansard 30 Jun 2011 Column WA472-3