ANTI HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROGRAM (A.H.T) Under the Diocese of Durgapur Church of North India REPORT Introduction HUMAN TRAFFICKING is the trade of humans, most commonly for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage or the extraction of organs or tissues including for surrogacy and ova removal. Human trafficking can occur within a country or trans-nationally. Human trafficking is a crime against the person because of the violation of the victim's rights to life through coercion and because of their commercial exploitation. Human trafficking is the trade in people, especially women and children, and does not necessarily involve the movement of the person from one place to another. India is the fourth in the list of worse affected countries in Asia only after Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan and also the hub of this type of crime in Asia. The 2016 data from the National Crime Records Bureau showed that almost equal numbers of women and children were trafficked. Figures showed there were 9,104 trafficked children last year -- a 27 percent increase from the previous year. The number of women trafficked rose by 22 percent to 10,119 in 2016.India's West Bengal state - which shares a porous border with poorer neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal and is a known human trafficking hub for that reason - registered more than one-third of the total number of victims in 2016.The desert state of Rajasthan recorded the second highest number of trafficked children in 2016, while the western state of Maharashtra, where India's business capital Mumbai is located, showed the second highest number of trafficked women.human trafficking is condemned as a violation of human rights by international conventions. Why the Diocese of Durgapur Is Involved The Diocese of Durgapur, C.N.I, started the anti-human trafficking (A.H.T) programme in North and South Dinajpur district in 2011. This area is both a source and a transit point for human trafficking along with several other illegal activities. Bordered by Bangladesh,which is another major hub for human trafficking, Kaliyaganj and Baldahura (where the Diocese s work is centred) is a monsoon-dependant agricultural community and a major production centre of good-quality marijuana. This results in the poor villagers setting up businesses with drug-peddlers which in turn provoke trafficking along with drug transport.
The Diocese of Durgapur, C.N.I, started the anti-human trafficking (A.H.T) programme in North and South Dinajpur district in 2011. This area is both a source and a transit point for human trafficking along with several other illegal activities. Bordered by Bangladesh,which is another major hub for human trafficking, Kaliyaganj, Baldahura and forty villages surrounding India Bangladesh borders (where the Diocese s work is centred) is a monsoon-dependant agricultural community and a major production centre of good-quality marijuana. This results in the poor villagers setting up businesses with drug-peddlers which in turn provoke trafficking along with drug transport. The Diocese of Durgapur have not been deterred, they continue to fight this evil and have succeeded to rescue some who are now in safe hands at the safe house. Work is also taking place to help adults who have been rescued. The staff give them support for generating skills such as hand woven carpets which are sold through fair price b y t h e diocese. These are efforts which need to be supported by all people of good will. Human life deserves dignity and our partners are working to defend and protect the dignity of all without segregation. No one d e s e r v e s t o b e trafficked. The Programs Currently Undertaken by the A.H.T Team Drawing Competition on Anti Human Trafficking On the topic of Human Trafficking a drawing competition was held on 28 th of October, 2017 at Anantapur GP Purgram High School with a strength of 150 children from standard 8 th to 11 th. The children express their thinking against trafficking through drawing. Even Diocese of Durgapur presented gift to the children and a glass of health drink to each participants.
Children participating Drawing Competition on AHT Massive Rally on AHT Diocese of Durgapur organized a massive rally against Human Trafficking on 10 th December 2017 ( World Human Rights Day) at Kaliyaganj with school children and local peoples. About 500 children took participate in this rally. The message against human trafficking was spread to peoples through this rally. The local media and their team were also present in this rally and forecast in Television and newspapers. This was first time held in these areas and it was appreciated by all the local peoples.
Village Awareness Programs A Total of 10 villages awareness programs was held by our field staffs under the guidance of Diocese of Durgapur. The villagers were not only educated about human trafficking but to spread the message to each peoples and their relatives. They were also trained how to track traffickers. If they found any unidentified person in their villages, they must inform immediately to local cops. If also someone going to work in another place of India they must have the proper documents of the place of job. Migration Survey The field animators and supervisor of AHT Diocese of Durgapur survey four GP Korengi, Radhikapur, Dhonkal and Anantapur GP in the month October and November 2017 and found that among 25 villages 1511 peoples are migrated to different places of India for job. The team apart from survey give awareness teaching that those are migrated their families should keep proper documents where they are gone for job.
Picture of a village where migration survey was done Dhokra Training Initiative : An Alternative Livelihood The Diocese of Durgapur in its attempt to provide alternative livelihood has started a Dhokra training initiatives in the villages in the Gram Panchayat s of Karanji and Anantapur respectively. Here the locals are taught to make Dhokra as a part of alternative livelihood generation program. A total of 35 people in 2 centres are learning to weave this traditional mat under the guidance of 4 teachers over the 2 centres.
Dhokra training being given to women Child Study Centres Two Child Study Centres have been opened in Betahar and Purgram in order to give the local Children a quality education which has been missing from the local Social Infrastructure. In Betahar the student count is 18 under the presence of teacher Jashada Hansda while in Purgram the total student count numbered 20 under teacher Rahul Sarkar. Here a lot of other activities are also taught like Cricket and Football apart from studies.
A.H.T Programmes in I.C.D.S Centres In the past 6 months a total of 12 I.C.D.S programs had been organized by our team of Animators in the different Gram Panchayat s of North and South Dinajpur Districts of West Bengal. I.C.D.S Centre names are given below where our team had done Awareness Programs The discussion was concerning the mother s co-operation with the field team in order to stop Trafficking. They were also asked to send their children to the I.C.D.S Centres in clean clothes and kempt conditions. They were also asked to provide nutritious diets to their childern. They were also informed of the benefits of correct timing and accurate measures of Immunisations and the difference it can make if provided correctly to would be mothers. School Awareness Programs A Total of 3 School Awareness Programs Were Done In The Months Of June July and August By The Field Team Operating In The North and South Dinajpur s Gram Panchayats Of Anantapur Karanji and Radhikapur. These Awareness Programs were done in Bhabatipur High School with student count Of 450 Students Ranging from 9 th -12 th Standards, Puria Maheshpur High School Falling under Kaliyaganj Blocks Bachadanga Panchayat With A Student Count Of 400 Students. And 15 Teachers, And Chingarh Panchayat s Hemtabad
Blocks Bharatpur High School with a total student head count of More Than 400 Students and Teachers. There Our Vision Regarding To A.H.T Were Made Open To Them As Well As The Evils Encompassing This Heinous act as well As The ways to stay aware of the people Practicing This Act. The Students Were Also Advised To Warn Their Families And Friends And Stay Aware Of Their Immediate Surroundings. SELF HELP GROUP (S.H.G) One S.H.G group was formed in Mahinagar and rechristened as Mahinagar Talpukur Adivasi Mahila Swanirvar Dal. This group was formed in Mahinagar because the local tribal people do not get any facilities from the government and suffer from alcoholic addiction. This group was formed to educate the local women of their rights and duties as citizens of India and also to help them become self sufficient. St. Michaels Safe Home Baldahura St. Michael s Safe Home is situated in Baldahura, Malda. Presently it houses 20 young tribal girls who were rescued. The girls are between the age of 6-9.
Presently these girls go to lacal schools, and then Diocese Of Durgapur facilitates them by giving them food, shelter, School supplies and dresses. Apart from studies they are also given dance classes and games. Case Study 1 of Anti Human Trafficking A woman name Sunita Nagbansi age 31 years,village Panishala gram Panchayat Koranji GP. She is the eldest of three sisters and one brother. Her father died in her young age. The family is below poverty line. She was tempted at the age of 10years for marriage by Chandrashekahr Nagbanshi a resident of Uttar Pradesh and took her away. She was tortured physically, mentally and sexually. She gave birth to five premature children who died at birth and currently mother of five kids at age of 31. So, in August 2017 she returned back to her native place and our animators of AHT found her. They reported that she and her children were suffering from acute shortage of nutrition. Our animator took them to local administrative power and admitted to hospital. Now she is getting nutrition and clothes from the block office of the government. This family gave special thanks for the help received to AHT program of Diocese of Durgapur as the family was on the brink of destruction. The family of Sunita Nagbanshi Case Study 2
In the month of November 2017,15 th a woman came to a tribal village in the border areas of Bangaladesh and India with her two girl child. Her name is Merina Murmu and the two daughters age is 4year and other younger is 4 months. They were from Kashipur village of Bangladesh. She came with her husband Avisekh Soren from Bangladesh for Job at Delhi and they entered illegally through border, the husband after entering India left them and flew away with another tribal woman. They were homeless and even they don t have anything left at Bangladesh as sold off by her husband. In the meantime they came to our church peoples in Balashpore. The field animators and the field supervisor of AHT Diocese of Durgapur with help of church members give the mother and two child temporary shelter near the church. As they are migrated from Bangladesh without any documents, our team is trying to make their identity and the local government has also came forward to help them. Conclusion : The AHT program of Diocese of Durgapur has put a great positive image to these areas by their constant support from the Diocesan office and field workers. We are putting effective programs in the field so that peoples must aware of Human Trafficking which is the second biggest crime in WORLD. Thanking YOU ALL