India Country Report - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Voice – Resource centre for research, documentation and audio-visuals on
trafficking of persons for commercial sexual exploitation.
WISH – Economic rehabilitation of victims of commercial sexual
exploitation.
Gram Niyojan Kendra
Gram Niyojan Kendra’s work on women in prostitution started in 1981. It
conducted a study on “Prostitutes and Prostitution” merely as an issue of
research interest. During that period, studies on prostitution were difficult to
conduct even by way of getting researchers for data collection because of the
stigma attached to the issue. Initiation of action connected with experiment
in prevention and control of the problem of prostitution at the places of origin
was started from 1993-94. This was neither an ad hoc affair, nor a result of
mere availability of resources. It was a planned action based on the conviction
that something should be done to mitigate or arrest the problem of trafficking
and commercial sexual exploitation of women and girl children. Prostitution
and trafficking prevention action is presently being taking in four areas by the
organization. All of these places have been marked as the points of origin of
girls and women in prostitution. This action was a pioneering project during
the early 90s. There were only a few organizations working there on rescue,
rehabilitation, and welfare of women in prostitution and prevention of the
problem of prostitution. As per a national study conducted by Gram Niyojan
Kendra 13 , at the initiative of National Commission for Women in 1988, there were
a total of 53 organizations working on different dimensions of the problems
of prostitution but only five were found to be engaged in preventive action.
Of these five, only one organization was working at the community level and
that was Gram Niyojan Kendra. There is also no effort in facilitating girls and
women in prostitution, who are involved in it by virtue of their caste and
culture. To disassociate them from the traditional practice of prostitution, the
organization uses multiple activities, which can be divided in to two groups,
namely social and economic development activities. Social development includes
education, awareness generation, health, counselling, group formation, games
and sports, creativity, linkage and networking. Economic development includes
vocational training (farm and off farm activities), training in entrepreneurship
development, assistance in marketing and resource mobilization, formation of
SHGs and co-operatives, preservation and management of natural resources.
As per a national study
conducted by Gram
Niyojan Kendra, at the
initiative of National
Commission for Women
in 1988, there were a
total of 53 organizations
working on different
dimensions of the
problems of prostitution.
Impulse NGO Network
Impulse NGO Network 14 developed the Meghalaya model to combat child
trafficking in North East <strong>India</strong> as a single comprehensive strategic plan, to
be adopted by all state agencies and citizen’s organizations in the Region.
Meghalaya and the rest of Northeast <strong>India</strong> have emerged as a new supply zone
for human traffickers. Due to the region’s porous international borders with
neighbouring countries, Northeast <strong>India</strong> is also vulnerable to cross-border human
trafficking. Impulse conceived of the Meghalaya model. The Meghalaya model
13 Please visit www.gramniyojankendra.org for more information about the organization.
14 For more information on IMPULSE please visit www.impulseasia.org
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