Survivors, activists urge govt to recognise human trafficking as natl phenomenon

New Delhi: Trafficking survivors and activists have urged the government to recognise human trafficking as a national phenomenon and bring more women in the decision-making role to change the mindset of the people.
In a workshop organised by Sankalp Foundation on ‘Is Human Trafficking a People’s Issue in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana?’, the survivors made an appeal to the government to recognise trafficking as a people’s issue or a mainstream governance issue.
Naharvi, a trafficking survivor from Chattisgarh’s Champa district, said she had worked as a bonded labour for 10 years in the brick-kiln industry. “We were made to work for 17 hours a day and just allowed to sleep for four hours. We were kept locked and not allowed to move at our will. That is not a kind of life I want for my children and no one recognises our problems,” she said.
Hemlata, an activist who worked for rehabilitation of brick-kiln workers from Rajasthan, said there was a need to look at trafficking from the point of view of migration. “There is a need to ensure safe migration for women and children so that they do not get trafficked due to unsafe migration.”
The activists and survivors urged the government to recognise trafficking as a national phenomenon and bring more women in the decision-making role. “The participation of women of women needs to be increased and unless women come under decision-making role, till then, change would not come in the mindset of people,” said Sumitra, a social worker from Telangana. (PTI)