Citing the number of individuals at risk of trafficking, the Shakti Vahini, an organisation fighting for women's and children's rights in India, among other things, will organise a two-day state-level consultation at Hotel Taj Vivanta in Guwahati.
The two-day program, scheduled to be held on December 16 and 17, will be organised as part of an ongoing initiative "10th Anti Trafficking in Persons Conclave Series", being held at the state level with support from the US Consulate Kolkata.
"The aim of the consultation is to bring together state-level stakeholders including Legal Services, Law Enforcement, Child Protection, and Prosecution agencies to ensure convergence in response mechanisms and strengthen interstate collaboration between source and destination agencies", read the letter from the Shakti Vahini.
It further said, "During the pandemic, use of internet has been integrated into the business model of traffickers and it facilitates the luring of victims into sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced criminality, and other purposes".
"Technology is being used by traffickers at every step of the crime, from identifying future victims and recruiting them to launder the proceeds of exploitation", it added.
The letter also cited international agencies like UNICEF, UNODC, and various police agencies in saying that the cases of human trafficking were expected to see a steep rise due to increased vulnerabilities and stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Notably, the Shakti Vahini has been appointed by the Supreme Court (SC) of India as a member of the Expert Panel to assist the court in the case related to the rehabilitation of sex workers and trafficked victims. It has partnered with various Police academies in training Law Enforcement Agencies across the country.
It has worked towards strengthening women and child rights in India, ensuring a better world for future generations by educating children, empowering women, and protecting the environment.
