Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Annexure 12
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and certain NGOs carry out such programmes, they are microscopic, considering the scale of
the problems concerned. The research has shown that there is a ‘conspiracy of silence’ by all
concerned, which does not exclude family, community, religious institutions, political parties
and, at times, even CBOs, NGOs. There is a need to have extensive and sustained awareness
programmes focused on rights of individuals. Such programmes should be sustained too. It
would be a good strategy to empower them by encouraging leaders from among them, who
would be able to garner adequate public support for the anti-trafficking initiatives. Moreover,
such awareness campaigns could be target-oriented, with specific attention on the most vulnerable
sections of society.
Sensitization of Adolescents
This research has shown that a large number of the victims as well as clients are teenagers or
adolescents, especially school and college students. There is a need to address the issue of sexuality
within this group and sensitise them about the human rights of women and children. Appropriate
NGOs could be asked by the educational institutions to carry out such target-oriented advocacy
in schools, colleges, etc.
Role of Family
The study has shown that certain families, due to several reasons, are directly or indirectly involved
in the trafficking process. It could be their ignorance, lack of livelihood options arising out of
poverty, prevailing cultural traditions, or commercial motives. There are plenty of instances of
family members getting lured by traffickers, falling prey to their evil designs and, thereupon,
allowing their wards to be trafficked. All such acts of omission and commission have to be
addressed. The situations vary from place to place and, therefore, intervention programmes have
to be focused on the assessment of these realities. The mapping exercise stated earlier could be
utilised for this assessment. Moreover, any preventive strategy should take the family into
consideration, as the role of the family has been found crucial.
Social Culture
This research has brought to light the fact that prevention of trafficking is possible only if the
community is fully involved. Trafficking has deep roots in the social ethos of the society and,
therefore, cannot be handled by law alone. The larger issues of lack of livelihood options, gender
discrimination and deprivation of opportunities have to be kept in mind. Therefore, any preventive
strategy should focus on eradication of poverty, illiteracy, lack of awareness of rights and livelihood
options, as well as on issues of social and economic empowerment. The lack of options provides
a fertile ground for the exploiters to enhance their commercial motivation and grow rich faster.
Therefore, the basic question is to uphold community values and create a culture against
exploitation of women and children. Community should become a guarantor of human rights.
The prevailing ‘culture of silence’ of the community has to be transformed into ‘community
involvement’. In this context, besides the role of family discussed earlier, there is an important
role to be played by all stakeholders, viz., the schools, the panchayats, other democratic institutions,
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