Human trafficking in India: The problem

Trafficking in women and children is the most abominable violation of human rights. Perhaps not many crimes are as ghastly as trading in human misery. Human rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution are inalienable, non-negotiable and universal. Trafficking in women and children is a violation of several human rights including the very right to life, the right to liberty and human dignity, and security of person, the right to freedom from torture or cruelty, inhuman or degrading treatment, the right to a home and family, the right to education and proper employment, the right to health care and everything that makes for a life with dignity. Trafficking in women and children is on the rise. And yet, the redressal mechanisms are woefully inadequate and the way the various governmental agencies have dealt with this gross violation of human rights has left much to be desired.

Trafficking in human beings, more so in women and children, is one of the fastest growing forms of criminal activity, next only to drugs and weapons trade, generating unaccountable profits annually. The reasons for the increase in this global phenomenon are multiple and complex, affecting rich and poor countries alike. India is no exception. Despite new restrictions and harsher punishments, human trafficking problem in India is worse than ever.

The root causes include extreme disparities of wealth, lack of education, continuing and pervasive inequality due to class, caste and most importantly gender biases, erosion of traditional family systems and values, iniquitous social conventions, lack of transparency in regulations governing labour migration, poor enforcement of internationally agreed-upon human rights standards, poor enforcement of laws against the culprits and enormous profits ensured by the trafficking business to the traffickers.

Amending the laws only will not solve the problem. To solve the problem of human trafficking, the government most work to remedy the conditions that nurture the exploitation of young girls for profit. NGOs have a greater role to play to give a stop to this social problem.