Int’l conference on human trafficking to be held in city
The Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) will be organising an international conference on women trafficking in partnership with International Justice Mission, India (IJM) on July 27 and July 28. Three hundred speakers across 15 countries will share their key learnings and strategies on preventing and combatting the trafficking of women and children.
Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women said, “We are going to focus on the rehabilitation model at the international forum. The job of the Commission is to bring all the agencies together over the issue of human trafficking and policy implementation.”
The sessions will cover the issue of trafficking, focusing on the reality and impact of violence against women and preventing and combatting human trafficking crimes. According to Sanjay Macwan, Regional Director of International Justice Mission said, “Nearly 1700 red light areas have been identified so far in Maharashtra. 30,000 women are pushed into prostitution every year. There are nearly 27 lakh women across the country who are involved in the flesh trade.” The Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) had told the Parliament in March 2017 that 19,223 women and children were trafficked in 2016 as against 15,448 in 2015. At present, Maharashtra ranks second highest in the number of women trafficked mainly in the business capital of Mumbai as per the Crime in India report 2015.
The number of women pushed into flesh trade in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai is 10,000.