Use technology to fight cross-border trafficking
It is in India’s best interests that a functional digital collaboration exists between India, Nepal and Bangladesh
The migration and trafficking of tens of thousands of children and women from Bangladesh and Nepal into India has long been a serious concern. Even though the three countries are signatories to international conventions and bound by domestic laws to combat trafficking, the problem persists. While prevention and rescue are crucial in the battle against one of the most heinous crimes against humanity with significant social and economic undertones, it is the repatriation of rescued victims that has emerged as the biggest challenge. For most of the rescued victims, relocation to their country of origin is the ultimate rehabilitation.
The current process of the repatriation from India to Bangladesh is complicated and time-consuming. It includes several state and non-state actors and a multitude of processes and approvals. Following the visit of the Indian prime minister to Bangladesh, a rescue, repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration taskforce has been set up between the two countries to oversee and coordinate the process of repatriation. However, greater attention is required to strengthen the institution’s response.
The repatriation process between India and Nepal is comparatively less complicated but it does not follow a systematic approach. There is no scope of tracking a case hence it is very difficult to follow up and expedite the process. Moreover, it is not regulated by an SOP or directive and remains a subjective process whose efficiency is contingent upon the stakeholders involved.
To overcome the challenges in the implementation of existing anti-trafficking activities, countries should use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based mechanisms, but these require to be scaled up. It is imperative, first, to create a technology-based collaboration through a Repatriation Information Management System (RIMS) in order to bring all anti-trafficking stakeholders together for better coordination of efforts throughout the continuum of trafficking. Second, the 1098 helpline number should be synchronised across the three countries to become a dedicated child helpline number.
Third, a centralised online-based repatriation case management system should be developed, which can facilitate and reduce time consumed in the repatriation process.
Last, a unified system should be created to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors through a service provider database or directory that can coordinate the responsibility of different stakeholders, follow up on the status of trafficking survivors and maintain records of repatriated victims. Bhagyashri Dengle is, executive director, Plan India. The views expressed are personal