14,226 women rescued from trafficking in 2 yrs: Govt

A total of 14,226 women have been rescued from trafficking in the past two years, the government said on Friday.  

“According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the victims rescued from trafficking under sexual exploitation for prostitution is 4,743 and 9,483 for 2014 and 2015, respectively,” said Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

The Ministry is implementing a scheme titled ‘Ujjawala’ to put a check on women trafficking. The scheme aims at rescuing and rehabilitating the victims. 

“An inter-ministerial committee has been constituted to strengthen legislative and institutional framework for combating human trafficking of all forms. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has set up Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in 234 districts across the country. The MHA has issued comprehensive advisories to all states abd Union Territories to put a check on human trafficking. These advisories/SOPs are available on the MHAs websitr –  www.stophumantrafficking-mha.nic.in,” she added. 

According to the reports, there are 3 million sex workers in India, of which 40 per cent are children. 

A UNICEF report titled ‘Rescue and Rehabilitation of child victims trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation’ traces the adverse conditions created by human trafficking. 

“An estimated two million children, aged between 5 and 15 years, are forced into commercial sexual exploitation across the world. Girls aged 10 and 14 years are the most vulnerable. About 15 per cent of commercial sex workers in India are believed to be below 15 years old and 25 per cent are aged 15-18 years. About five lakh children across the world are forced into human trafficking every year,” said the report.