‘Labour trafficking key threat post-curbs’

New Delhi, July 29: About 89 per cent of NGOs surveyed for a study have said that trafficking of both adults and children for labour will be “one of the biggest threats” in the post-lockdown period as household incomes of the most vulnerable deplete.

The study conducted by the Kailash Satyarthi Children Foundation said the non-governmental organisations voiced the concern that “there is a very high likelihood” of an increase in human trafficking in the post-lockdown period for the purpose of labour.

“Seventy-six per cent of the NGOs anticipate human trafficking for the purpose of sexual abuse and child trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation to see an upsurge post the lockdown,” it said.

The study recommended greater surveillance at village level and alertness on the part of law enforcement agencies.

Titled Impact of Lockdown and Economic Disruption on LowIncome Households with Special Reference to Children, the study is based on responses of 53 NGOs (Phase-1) and 245 households from the trafficking-prone states (Phase-2).

The Phase-1 was carried April 27-May 5 and the phase-2 from May 17 to 24.

The responses of NGOs were sought because of their close links at the grassroots level while the household survey was conducted to develop an indepth understanding of the impact of lockdown on households from the lowest economic strata.

Eighty-one per cent of the NGOs said families may take cash on credit from local money lenders on high interest rates in the post-lockdown period and as a result, a large number of them may get into the trap of debt bondage.

“Sixty-four per cent of all respondent NGOs expressed the opinion that incidence of child marriages would increase post the lockdown period. That child marriages post lockdown will increase was stated more strongly by NGOs operating in north central zone (71 per cent) than those operating in eastern (61 per cent) and south west zone (57 per cent),” it said.

The north central zone has states: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh while eastern region comprises Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Sikkim.

The south west zone comprises Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka.

ABOUT 89 PER CENT of NGOs surveyed for a study have said that trafficking of both adults and children for labour will be ‘one of the biggest threats’ in the post-lockdown period as household incomes of most vulnerable deplete