Anti-Trafficking and Anti-Slavery

Anti-Trafficking and Anti-Slavery

India alone is home to 40% of the world’s estimated 45.8 million slaves. Trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. In the past decade, the volume of human trafficking has grown to the extent that it is now the third largest form of transnational organized crime after firearms and drugs. In India, the scale of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking is steadily rising despite the existence of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. Trafficking is the recruitment and transportation of a person, within and across national borders, by means of deceit, violence or threat of violence, abuse of authority or dominant position for work or services which may result in forced labour or slavery like practices. Victims of trafficking are exploited and tortured for the financial gains of their exploiters. Children are mainly trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, begging, child labour or for adoption purposes. Trafficking takes place either from state to state or through international borders. In most of the trafficking cases that are tried in court, the children are rescued after they have been trafficked to some place. SLIC in collaboration with the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour (NCCEBL) work towards the eradication of those drafted into bonded labour through activism and advocacy. Through its efforts, hundreds of bonded labourers have been rescued and rehabilitated.

What SLIC Does

An anti-trafficking initiative was established by SLIC to file Public Interest Cases in the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts on issues affecting children. The Anti-Trafficking Initiative provides pro-bono legal services to women and children who are trafficked, and to represent children and women who are victims of sexual abuse or bonded labour during the trial proceedings in trial courts. ATI conducts fact-finding missions, campaigns, and raises awareness through ‘Know our Rights publications. It also organizes consultations, meetings and legal trainings for increasing awareness about trafficking among duty bearers and right holders. SLIC is also a part of the Special Task force for the rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked child labourers and responds to crisis situations through raid and rescue operations.

Main Concerns

• Trafficking of Persons

• Labour (in all its forms)

• Deprivation of Right to Life (modern day slavery/slave like conditions)

• Deprivation of Dignity

• Right to security

• Right to confidentiality

• Denial of access to health services

• Sexual & Reproductive Rights of Trafficked Persons

SLIC Impact

Public Interest Cases filed by lawyers associated with ATI have brought relief to millions of children in this country. Bachpan Bachao Andolan vs UOI & Ors, though initially brought in Supreme Court for children trafficked for working in circus industry is set to mark a tremendous impact on child rights in this country as Supreme Court expanded the scope of this PIL to include each and every aspect of the rights of children. Some of the other impacts include:

• Legal interventions and seeking justice through the court: The Anti-Trafficking Initiative has been doing individual litigation as well filing PILs in state courts and the Supreme Court to seek justice for victims of trafficking.

• Evolving a strong anti-trafficking network in states that are trafficking-hotbeds in India: The initiative has successfully created a legal support system and a strong network of NGOs and community-based organizations in the major trafficking source areas of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and the northeastern states, and destination states such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kerala.

• Strengthening effective collaboration between anti-trafficking networks in different states: The cooperation between state units and grassroots NGOs has allowed intervening in cases of trafficking and has helped to rescue many girls from trafficking destinations.

• Taking action against trafficking in the state of Kashmir: Kashmir is steadily growing into a major destination for human trafficking for marriage. The SLIC team in Kashmir is a primary legal resource for addressing such cases.

• Prosecution of traffickers: During 2009-2011, about 30 traffickers were arrested in Delhi, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra , Orissa and others, thanks to the rescue interventions by SLIC state coordinators and their timely coordination with the state offices, police, Department of Labour, Child Welfare Committees, Women cells and civil society organizations.

training

SOUTH 24 PARGANAS DISTRICT MEETING

Human trafficking in India, although illegal under Indian law, remains a significant problem. Women and girls are traf ...read more

training

MALBAZAR DISTRICT MEETING

Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of Human Rights, every year, thousands of women and ch ...read more

training

Dakshin Dinapur District Meeting

Trafficking in women and children is one of the most despicable forms of violations of human rights. Bei ...read more

training

Bongaon District Meeting

Attaining equality between women and men and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women are fundame ...read more

training

State Level Meeting on Violation of Human Rights in West Bengal During Covid 19

Prior to the announcement of the National Lockdown on 25 March 2020, a number of courts had shut down in response to t ...read more

training

MEDIA COVERAGE REPORT - WEST BENGAL

Media Coverage Report of West Bengal ...read more

litigation

National Human Rights Commission Directs State Authorities to conduct Investigation into the missing of Physically Disabled person.

Ramachandra Rout- Case No. 1091 /2021-
Disposed off

litigation

Modern Slavery: Minor made to Sleep with Cattle for 3 years rescued

Simon Kerketta Versus State of Punjab and Ors., CWP 14742
Disposed off

litigation

Delhi High Court directed for the rescue of trafficked girl from Assam.

Singhasan Sona Vs. GNTC & Ors
Pending

litigation

Rescued Bonded laborers in Kurla to get Interim cash assistance as per the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation Bonded Labour, 2016

WRIT PETITION (L) NO.799 OF 2020 Vijay Ram (Minor) through father & Ors. .. Petitioners vs. District Collector, Sub-Urban Mumbai & Ors. .. Respondents
Disposed

litigation

Right to women domestic workers

Phrasina Vs. Urban and Rural Development, W.P. (PIL) No. 21218/2019
Pending

litigation

High Court of Delhi directed the Anti Human Trafficking Unit to produce the trafficked minor girl before the court

Karna Bhakta Vs. Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Ors. W.P. (Crl.) 1397/2020
Pending

litigation

Delhi High Court Granted Bail To The 'Whistleblower' In Bonded Labour Case

SURESH CHAKMA Vs. STATE BAIL APPLN. 2574/2019
Disposed Of

litigation

Delhi High Court Granted Bail To The 'Informant' In Bonded Labour Case

DHAN BHAKTA vs. THE STATE BAIL APPLN. 1401/2019
Disposed Of

publication

Trafficking and the Law

This book is a compilation of various Indian definitions, legislations, jurisprudence and case law on trafficking to hel ...read more

publication

Child Sexual Abuse and the Law

This book analyses important judgement from India and abroad and is useful for advocate and NGOs when they take child se ...read more

publication

Child Marriages and the Law in India

Without consulting any of the NGOs currently campaigning against child marriages, the UPA government has clandestinely d ...read more

publication

Another minor rescued as bonded labour from Shalimar Bagh, second in two months

As part of the continuous national campaign to eradicate the bonded labour and to rescue bonded labours across India, a ...read more

publication

Locked in room by her employers: Minor girl working as bonded labour rescued, FIR registered

For a 17-year-old girl, who was locked in a room as a bonded labour, freedom came knocking on the doors of her employers ...read more

news_story

Why are bonded labour activities still prevalent in Punjab & Haryana: HC

Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to Centre, Punjab, and Haryana governments seeking a r ...read more

litigation

Manual scavenging: Delhi HC pulls state, local agencies; seeks action taken report

news_story

Manual scavenging case: Delhi high court reprimands state govt for failing to provide relief to rescued bonded labourer

Nirmal Gorana & Anr vs State NCT of Delhi & Ors Writ petition (Crl) 3177/2017 In 2007, SLIC’s initiave aga ...read more

publication

Trafficked bonded labourers rescued from Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh

A women and minor girl, who were working as bonded labourers in a house in New Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, were rescued in ...read more

litigation

HC notice to Punjab, Haryana on plea against bonded labour

publication

Minor girl working as bonded labour for 8 years rescued from Delhi

An eight-year journey of bonded labour finally came to an end for a minor girl from Delhi, who was rescued and restored ...read more

publication

Women working as bonded labour rescued from Pathankot, FIR lodged against captor

A woman from West Bengal, who was being held as a bonded labour, was rescued from Pathankot on Thursday (23rd August, 20 ...read more

litigation

Two years after rescue from bonded labour, children yet to receive justice, rehabilitation: Delhi HC issues notice

Nirmal Gorana v Govt of NCT of Delhi & Ors, WP (Crl) 1011/2018

publication

Combating Human Trafficking : A Handbook For Women, Parents And Children

Conceptualised & Compiled by Lindsey Massar Despite panpoly of domestic and international laws prohibiting Human Tr ...read more

litigation

Woman abducted, trafficked as minor rescued from bonded slavery; reunited with parents after SLIC intervention

litigation

16 bonded labourers, including pregnant women & children, rescued in Srinagar

news_story

Lack of action on child bonded labour: Delhi HC issues notice to state, asks for status reports on child labour schemes

Nirmal Gorana v Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors WP (Crl) 1011/2018 This petition made the grievance that despit ...read more

publication

Child marriage: The worst form of slavery

The inescapable presence of child marriage that has persisted through the ages depicts the human rights crisis within In ...read more

litigation

88 bonded labourers rescued: After inaction from Meerut, Muzaffarnagar district magistrates, Allahabad HC seeks reply

litigation

Andhra Pradesh govt sanctions relief of Rs 1 Lakh each to 18 rescued bonded labourer families

publication

Trafficking and the Law - Hindi

The Book is compiled by: Anti-trafficking and Law Initiative Team, SLIC. Research is led by: SLIC Team. ...read more

publication

Trafficking and the Law. Second Edition

The Book is compiled by: Anti-trafficking and Law Initiative Team, SLIC. Research is led by: SLIC Team. ...read more

litigation

Case registered for the trafficking of children

litigation

Writ Petition filed to provide Assistance to an Indian citizen held in Foreign Custody

litigation

Delhi HC takes Delhi and Orissa police to task for showing casualness in investigating a case of trafficking of a minor tribal girl

litigation

Shramjeevi Mahila Samity vs. State of NCT & others: Seeking remedy for trafficked, kidnapped, forced labour & bondage people from villages of West Bengal

litigation

Prerana vs. Union of India & others: Seeking directions for framing guidelines for rescue and rehabilitation of victims trafficking

litigation

Prajwala v. Union of India

litigation