India Country Report - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

processes. The Act also regulates, the employment of children in nonhazardous
occupations and processes. Some of the important prohibited
occupations and processes are carpet weaving, building and construction
work, brick kilns, production of hosiery goods, work as domestic servants,
and in tea-shops, road side eateries, etc. The Act also regulates the working
conditions of children in other employments, which are not prohibited
under the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.
The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 – The Act provides for
the abolition of bonded labour system with a view to prevent economic and
physical exploitation of the weaker sections of the people.
International Instruments
<strong>India</strong> has reiterated its commitment to prevent and combat trafficking by being
a signatory to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong>
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It has also ratified, other
related Conventions such as Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC) and its optional protocols, and the SAARC Convention on Preventing and
Combating Trafficking among Women and Children.
Institutional Mechanisms
The National Commission for Women (NCW) – It was constituted on
31 st January, 1992 as a statutory body at the national level, to safeguard
the interests of women. It has a wide mandate covering almost all aspects
of women’s development, such as to investigate and examine the legal
safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws;
review the existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting
women and recommend amendments to meet any lacunae, inadequacies
or shortcomings in such laws; look into complaints and take suo moto
notice of matters relating to deprivation of women’s rights and take up the
issues with appropriate authorities; take up studies/research on issues of
relevance to women; and participate and advise in the planning process for
socio-economic development of women.
<strong>India</strong> has reiterated its
commitment to prevent
and combat trafficking by
being a signatory to the
UN Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons,
especially women and
children.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) – It was established
on 12 th October, 1993. Its statute is contained in the Protection of Human
Rights Act, 1993. The Commission is an embodiment of <strong>India</strong>’s concern
for the promotion and protection of human rights. The Commission has
a wide mandate including civil and political rights, economic, social and
cultural rights, and group rights. The function of the Commission includes
inquiring on petitions, presented to it by the victims, or any person on
their behalf, into complaints of; violation of human rights, or negligence
in the prevention of such violation, by a public servant; intervening in
any proceeding involving any allegation of violation of human rights
pending before a Court, with the approval of such Courts; undertaking and
promoting research in the field of human rights; spreading human rights
literacy amongst various sections of society; and promoting awareness
<strong>India</strong> <strong>Country</strong> <strong>Report</strong>
9