O Workshop Summary Report Rehabilitation of Trafficking Victims n December 27 th 2014, the Indo-Nepal Human Liberty network with the support of Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre hosted a half-day workshop entitled Rehabilitation of Trafficking Victims at Chanakya Hotel in Patna. The workshop was part of the advocacy initiative led by 14 organizations which have come together for fulfillment of the common objective of fighting against human trafficking in Bihar. The workshop was funded by the Freedom Fund, New York, USA. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss various schemes/programs being implemented by Government of India and State Government on child protection and to get schemes meant for rehabilitation speedily implemented. The 67 workshop participants (Appendix 1) represented over 24 organisations, including Non-governmental organizations(ngos), media houses, lawyers, judiciary, CWC members, social workers, management students and police. The workshop was inaugurated by Hon ble Justice Mr V N Sinha, Chairperson, Juvenile justice Board, Monitoring Committee, Patna High Court. The workshop began with the Power Point Presentation given by Mr Suresh Kumar, Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre. INHLN s vision is that human trafficking and human rights are placed at the heart of the Bihar's internal and external policy agenda. This vision should manifest itself in a State which effectively protects human trafficking in the state. In pursuit of this vision, in the absence of active state action the network aims to influence Bihar s human trafficking policies after having understood the widespread nature of human 1
trafficking, said Kumar. He further said that articulating and pursuing a broad common human trafficking theme for the State, sharing of information and collaboration between the diverse groups, combined advocacy efforts, for instance, regarding monitoring of commitments made by the State in ASTITVA (a state action plan to combat human trafficking) was important. Thereafter Mr. Mokhtarul Haque, Member, Bihar Child labour Commission was called upon to speak on Dimensions of human trafficking. He stated that Bihar s eight districts were connected with Nepal and there was no need of visa to enter Nepal from India or vice versa. This had led to increased human trafficking, he said. Thereafter he shared the experience of his work and gave documentary evidence to show that girls are trafficked to various places by changing their names. He also presented statistics to show that child marriages were on an increase but argued that these were not child marriages but fake/forced marriages which had become a major component of modern-day slavery. He also stated that NGOs encountered a lot of problems in rehabilitating the rescued victims. Other members of INHLN also related the problems faced by them in their area to Justice V.N Sinha. Mr PK Sharma asserted that in Sheohar and Sitamarhi around 70 percent to 77 percent children belonging to vulnerable community of age group 5 to 18 years did not go to school and also that in Sheohar only 8% and in Sitamarhi 6% vulnerable community people had access to toilets. He stated that problem of human trafficking was on the rise and getting out of hand because it is not on the Bihar Government priority list. 2
The Child labor Commission Chairman Mr. CP Chandravanshi was asked to speak on Re-trafficking of child labor and its solution. He stated that due to poverty and lack of education of parents, children were sent out to work where these children fell prey to trafficking. He suggested that human trafficking awareness can be created among the people by circulation of the video clip. He also said that technical/vocational skill/ education should be given to the rescued children so that they had some means of livelihood.. The Vice Chairperson of the Bihar State Child Labour Commission Smt. Anita Sinha spoke about the initiatives taken by the government to combat child labor in Bihar. Trafficking, she said was increasingly becoming a complex phenomenon in society. She said parents were not checking the antecedents of the bride and this led to increase in fake marriages and results in human trafficking. She announced the decision of the plan of the child labor commission for next year to collect information of missing children from all police station and checking their current status and work on their rehabilitation. Suresh Kumar, from Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre, shared the directions given in Apne Aap Women World Wide Trust by the Hon ble Patna High Court in detail where the Patna High Court ordered the constitution of village/ward-level anti-human trafficking panels. A division Bench of Justice V N Sinha and Justice Prabhat Kumar Jha also ordered the government to upgrade Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya from class viii to xii as early as possible to ensure better educational facilities for girls even in the remotest areas of the state. The Bench said in its judgment, It is directed that at every village/ward of gram Panchayat/Urban agglomeration, including red-light area where Aanganwadi centre is already established, village/ward-level anti-human trafficking body be constituted within a reasonable time not exceeding two months from the date of this judgment. 3
This committee will collect data about children in the age group of 0-18 years residing within its jurisdiction, such as birth, gender, family income, status of the child attending Aanganwadi school and to draw up plans for the care of each child under its jurisdiction, and submit monthly report to the block or district-level committee. This committee, in turn, will analyze the data provided by the village-level committee, take remedial action and submit a report to the social welfare directorate for further remedial action and the directorate shall upload the data on its website for annual social audit by an independent agency. The court said it shall be the village-level committee s duty to ensure proper education for each child in that village. If the database is not maintained by the village-level committee, the directorate and the social welfare department shall take appropriate action and will ensure maintenance of database and required vigil over the activities of every child and his guardian by not only the village-level committee but also by the directorate, the court directed. The court also directed the DMs not to grant licence for travelling theatre or nautanki without proper scrutiny. The DMs and SPs were asked to maintain a list of NGOs and social workers engaged in rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked victims. In order to protect and provide vocational training to the trafficked victims, social welfare department should establish protective homes and corrective institutions in each district, the court ordered. To begin with, the department must establish one protective home, corrective institution and one-stop crisis/nirbhaya centre in each district as early as possible, it said. This arrangement will go a long way in preventing trafficking of children and child marriage, the court observed. After this Chief Justice of Patna High Court Mr V.N Sinha presented his views on prevention of trafficking and rehabilitation of rescued children. He stated that proper attention be given to children from grassroots level. Children between age group of 0-6 should be well taken proper care by 4
parents or if they cannot do that the Aanganwadi should take charge of their protection and care. After this the child should be be enrolled in schools so that they may be saved from the clutches of traffickers at initial level. He suggested that different organizations and government need should work together in order to curb trafficking. He also suggested that Village Child Protection Community be set up at village level to prepare database of children and these could provide information about details of the missing which could help in rescuing from traffickers. Further, he also suggested that different organization take charge of one district each and combat trafficking from their district. Vocational training should be given to rescued persons so that means of livelihood are available to all. He also talked about convergence of various authorities because the issue of child protection is a complex subject and needs a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach. Children have manifold needs starting from health, nutrition, care, protection, development, education, love, affection and recreation that require interventions from the police/ judiciary, Panchayati raj institutions, urban local bodies and local administration. Mr PK Sharma, General Secretary, Centre Direct proposed the vote of thanks. List of Appendices: Appendix 1. Workshop Participants list Appendix 2. Workshop Agenda Appendix 3. Media Coverage 5