Awareness workshop organized on “Prevention and fight against child trafficking”

A CORRESPONDENT

SOUTH SHILLONG: On the occasion of World Day Against Human Trafficking, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) and East Khasi Hills District Administration, organized an awareness workshop titled “Prevention and Combating Human Trafficking. Child Trafficking 2.0 in 100 Border and Adjacent Districts in India”.

D. Kharshiing, ADC, East Khasi Hills, based her speech on the theme 2024 “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Leaving No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking”. She said that child trafficking is a heinous crime that requires immediate and continuous intervention.

The reasons for the vulnerability of children to trafficking and the causes of child trafficking are: inadequate support for unaccompanied children amid migratory and refugee flows in war-affected areas, economic difficulties faced by victims and their families.

Other reasons are the proliferation of online platforms, social media, the dark web to recruit and exploit children and the use of technology to evade detection, as well as exploitative content in the media that encourages crime against women and children.

Dysfunctional families and lack of parental care, forced child labour and use of children for criminal activities and begging, trafficking for illegal adoption and use of adoption as a means of exploiting children, recruitment into armed forces and online sexual abuse.

According to authorities, to effectively combat this problem, combined efforts should be needed at the local, national and international levels. States must prioritize child protection, strengthen legislation and improve law enforcement.

More (financial) resources should be allocated to States to combat child trafficking in order to combat this organised crime and reduce the vulnerability of children by targeting causes such as poverty and inequality. Attention should also be paid to the trafficking of children on the move. It is also necessary to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. Victim support and child protection systems, as well as a child-friendly justice system, are needed to combat child trafficking.

According to the authorities, there should be collaboration between technical companies, law enforcement, legal frameworks, civil society organizations, the private sector and communities and the adoption of innovative strategies to combat online child exploitation.

Also read: Workshop in Goalpara raises awareness on child rights, trafficking issues (sentinelassam.com)