End Child Trafficking
Trafficking is the third-largest organised crime globally, a highly profitable yet heinous exploitation. Child victims are deprived of education and basic needs, trapping them in poverty and exploitation.
ICP works on the ground to protect children from trafficking. It identifies at-risk children, collaborates with government stakeholders to prevent exploitation, and facilitates rehabilitation for victims and their families. ICP also supports their pursuit of justice to deter future crimes.
Need
-
The National Crime Records Bureau report states that there were 2,878 reported cases of child trafficking in India in 2022.
-
10 children are reported missing every hour, with many falling victim to trafficking rings. Every day 8 children are trafficked and 3 children are pushed into labour.
Child trafficking is a grave human rights violation, an organized crime that also results in rampant sexual abuse and rape of children, child labour, slavery, prostitution, or other forms of sexual exploitation. It is a crime of economics, power, and patriarchy which is reflected in the large number of children getting trafficked into marriage. Children are forced into employment because they are the cheapest form of labour. They are also sexually exploited as they are the easiest to subjugate.
Approach
To achieve the tipping point to end the oldest organized crime of child trafficking, we intend to ensure prosecution at scale.
Sustained, scalable action focusing on prevention, prosecution, and victim rehabilitation is crucial. Increased law enforcement is urgently needed to combat trafficking in India, as current efforts are inadequate. Additionally, emerging forms of trafficking, such as spas, massage parlours, placement agencies, and online platforms, require greater attention and action.
Child trafficking can be eliminated by enforcing a holistic and comprehensive strategy that focuses on ending the crime as well as the ecosystem where this social evil perpetuates. The PICKET strategy takes into account and aims to address the causal factors for the existence of child trafficking.
- Policy for prevention
- Investment in institutions
- Communication
- Knowledge and awareness at all levels
- Economics of the crime understood and addressed
- Technology for monitoring and deterrence
Action
-
Ensure immediate child protection, rehabilitation, and caregiver vigilance.
-
Strengthen institutions, provide legal and psychosocial support, and strive for sustainable child protection in India.
-
Combat child trafficking, labour, and other social evils through awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement.
-
Collaborate with law enforcement to enhance implementation mechanisms, and boost reporting and investigation of cases at the district and village level.