Conference on human trafficking and bonded labour -
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Published on: 8/1/2005
Last Visited: 9/10/2006
-- By Dr. K.N. Bhatt
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Dr K.N. Bhatt, Coordinator of the workshop and Faculty GB Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad delivered the Keynote address.At the outset, he said that the Bonded labour practice and trafficking to a great extent are two sides of the same coin as both are subjected to merciless market exploitation and are squeezed to produce surplus that is ethically enumerated.He argued that the trafficking in persons is the modern form of slavery.It is the third largest illegal international trade after the drugs and the guns profiting well-organized gangs of the Mafia's.About 7,00,000 to 10,00,000 persons are trafficked per annum globally as per the estimates of the US State Department out of which 9% to 10% flow internationally and the majority of 90% cases are traded within interstate boundaries of the individual nations.This illegal activity is estimated to generate about Rs.21,500 cr to Rs 32,000 cr of profit per year for the will-networked global traffickers.Dr Bhatt stated that mostly the victims of the trade are children and women who are trafficked for domestic servitude, organized industries, forced labour, sex tourism, drug trafficking etc.
The vulnerability of the poor people for trafficking and bondedness, argued Dr Bhatt, has gradually increased after the early 1990s when Indian economy was subjected to the Structural Adjustment Programme and unrestricted process of globalization under the guidance of international funding agencies.In the absence of proper institutional backup system in place indigenous labour intensive small and medium industries are being closed generated huge adult unemployment within the poor households.It is also noted that the self employed workforce with some capital assets of their own earlier are joining the category of assetless households over these years.These compelling circumstances call for the adoption of a survival strategy by the poor households, where women and children are forced to find some wage work to pool together their earning for their daily survival needs.Dr Bhatt further argued that the vulnerability of the poor has also been rising phenomenally over the years due to environmental factors, as environmentalism of the poor is quite different from the environmentalism of the rich.
Due to the process of fast depleting natural wealth on which poor sections depend under the crisis situations, the survival of these people now depends on the merciless forces of markets and thus increasing their vulnerability.Citing data from several research studies that Dr Bhatt conducted over the past five years, he revealed a positive correlation between debt, bonded labour practice and trafficking.He pleaded for empowerment of the poor by initiating effective social sector development schemes including equality education, health services, and employment / economic assets.The State should must come out actively in combating/preventing these social evils and identifying/rehabilitating the victims.Dr Bhatt specifically laid emphasis on coordination between source and destination States to deal with the problem.
Speaking on the occasion, Hon'ble Justice Amar Sharan emphasized for identification of the factors responsible for trafficking and bondage and its deeper analysis before focusing directly on the problem.He said trafficking and bondage is still not known to the larger society.
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Dr. K.N. Bhatt coordinated the technical session.
Discussion sessionThe Technical Session was followed by an in-depth discussion session in which representatives of the Government departments (mostly Labour Department Officers), social activists and NGOs deliberated on the issue and gave their views in order to combat and prevent human trafficking and bonded labour practice.Major emphasis was placed on the coordination between the source and destination states.At the beginning of the session Dr. K.N. Bhatt, who was coordinating the deliberations in the session gave his opening remarks by laying emphasis on giving first priority for rehabilitation to the women victims of trafficking and bondage.Citing on example of a Protection Home called Snehashraya in Allahabad, he pleaded of opening of such remarkable quality home elsewhere.This Protection Home, informed Dr Bhatt, is an another women empowerment project of DDWS which is led by Sr Sheeva Jose, as Coordinator for women welfare and Co-Convenor of Sahyog, an NGO based in Allahabad.After its establishment in 1998, this Home has provided its services to about 5,000 women and 105 children who stayed here.
In all 440 women have been rehabilitated and about 30-35 children from the home are kept in the boarding houses of quality educational institution run by Catholic Missionaries throughout the UP State.Dr Bhatt further informed that most of the women staying in Snehasharya are trafficked after their dowry harassment and discrimination against the females.These are the most vulnerable lot of helpless individuals rejected by the society, their own parents, in-laws and their own community, who are being cared by the Home like its own children in a loving and caring family like environment.If half of the countries population, felt Dr. Bhatt, remains neglected even in 21st century one can not aspire to attain national development goals.
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Finally a formal vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. K.N. Bhatt, coordinator of the workshop. - April 13, 2005
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