Meghalaya: Sensitization workshop held on ‘Prevention and Combating Child Trafficking’

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: As part of the World Day Against Human Trafficking, 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 conducted a sensitization workshop titled ‘Prevention and Combating Child Trafficking 2.0 in 100 Bordering and Adjoining Districts in India’.

D. Kharshiing, ADC, East Khasi Hills based her speech on the theme 2024 ‘World Day Against Trafficking Persons, Leave no Child behind in the fight against Human Trafficking’. She stated that Child Trafficking is a heinous crime which needs immediate and continuous intervention.

Reasons for vulnerability of children to trafficking and causes of child trafficking are - inadequate support of unaccompanied children amidst migration and refugee flows in war afflicted areas, economic hardships faced by victims and their families.

The other reasons are proliferation of online platforms, social media, dark web to recruit and exploit children and utilizing technology to evade detection, exploitative content in media which encourage crime against women and children.

Dysfunctional families and lack of parental care, forced labour of children and using them for criminal activities and begging, trafficked for illegal adoption and use of adoption as a mean to exploit children, recruitment into armed forces and online and sexual abuse.

According to authorities for effectively combating this problem there should be combined efforts needed at both Local, National and International level, states must prioritize child protection, bolster legislation, and improve law enforcement.

There should be more resources (financial) to combat child trafficking should be allocated to States to tackle this organized crime, reduce children’s vulnerability by targeting causes like poverty and inequality. Also trafficking of children on the move should be given attention. There is also the need to hold perpetrator accountable is the need of the hour, victim support systems and child protection systems as well as a justice system which is child sensitive are required to combat child trafficking.

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

Also Read: Workshop in Goalpara Raises Awareness on Child Rights and Trafficking Issues (sentinelassam.com)

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