Kolkata: A district level meeting was organised at Titumir Conference Hall of the Zilla Parishad in Barasat on Wednesday, to address the issue of human trafficking.
Jabala, the NGO that has organised the programme, is taking various initiatives aiming to boost the confidence of those who are most vulnerable to trafficking. Steps have been taken to ensure that people, particularly the children in the remote areas of the district, become aware of the preventive techniques.
Each year, many people from various districts fall victim to human trafficking and end up being trapped. They are often tricked and misled into believing that they are being taken for job opportunities, education and a better life, or through force and abduction.
The highlight of the meeting was the 'Girls' Voice' – an interaction between the girls of the community, district government officials and law enforcement agencies.
Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims.
Bruce Bucknell, British Deputy High Commissioner, Kolkata, said: "It is a challenging issue to address and requires coordinated efforts between communities and the authorities. I am pleased to see the engagement of the district administration and officials."
"I hope events such as today's will generate more awareness on how to stay safe, promote community engagement and empower people to work with authorities to address the dangers. All parts of the community need to come together to share the best practices. The presence of so many people will certainly help in stopping human trafficking and exploitation," Bucknell added.
It may be mentioned here that the North 24-Parganas assistant superintendent of police Avijit Banerjee, chairperson, West Bengal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Ananya Chakraborti, deputy commander, Border Security Force, Nizammudin and executive director Jabala Baitali Ganguly were present in the programme, with many other district officials.