Lok Sabha Question No. 3147 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3147

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2021

## SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING OF  WOMEN AND CHILDREN

## 3147. SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  increase  in  the  cases  of exploitation and trafficking of women and children along with child labour due to closure of schools on account of COVID-19; and
- (b) if  so, the details thereof along with  the steps taken/being taken to rehabilitate those affected during the pandemic?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a)  and  (b) The  "National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  compiles  and  publishes information on crimes including trafficking in its publication 'Crime in India' which is available till the year 2019 on the website of NCRB https://ncrb.gov.in.

Police'  and  'Public Order'  are  State  subjects  under the  Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order, protection of life and  property  of  the  citizens  including  women  and  children  are  with  the  respective State Governments. The State governments deal with such offences under the extant laws. Government has taken a number of initiatives in the light of COVID-19 outbreak and lock down to safeguard intersts of women and children. Institutions such as One Stop  Centres  (OSCs),  Women  Help  Lines  (181),  Ujjawala  Homes,  Swadhar  Grehs, Child  Care  Institutions,  Child  Line  (1098),  Emergency  Response  Support  System (112) and various statutory authorities such as those under "The Protection of Women from Domestic  Violence  Act, 2005', "The Dowry  Prohibition Act, 1961',  "The Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006'  etc.  remained  operational  and  available  for providing assistance to women during the period. Further, during lockdown, National Commission for Women (NCW) also took measures to assist women facing distress.

Through  advisory dated 28.03.2020  and  29.03.2020  issued  by  National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), all State Governments and UT Administrations were requested to ensure that Child Welfare Police Officers (CWPO) regularly  monitor  any  abandoned  children  found  on  the  streets  within  respective police  station  jurisdictions  and  also  to  make  arrangements  for  medical  check-up  of such  children.  The  NCPCR  undertakes  awareness  programmes  and  consultations with stakeholders from time to time for ensuring safety and well being of children.

The  Government is implementing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act)  which is the primary law for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection (CNCP). As per Section 2 (14) (ii) of JJ Act, a child who is found working in contravention of labour laws for the time being in force or is found begging, or living on the street, and as per Section 2 (14) (ix) of JJ Act, a child who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking is a 'child in need of care and protection'. The JJ Act mandates a security net of service delivery structures to provide institutional and non-institutional care to these children.  The primary responsibility of implementation of the Act lies with the State  Governments  and  UT  Administrations.  Further,  the  Ministry  of  Women  and Child  Development  is  implementing  'Child  Protection  Services'  (CPS)  for  care, protection, rehabilitation and reintegration of children in difficult circumstances. Under CPS, financial assistance is provided to State Governments and UT Administrations for, inter-alia, undertaking a situational analysis of children in difficult circumstances as well as for setting up and maintenance of various types of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).

Ministry of Women and Child Development has advised State Governments and UT  Administrations  to  take  immediate  action  for  care  and  protection  of  children adversely  impacted  by  COVID  19,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  JJ  Act 2015  and  Rules  thereunder,  while  leveraging  the  facilities  funded  under  the  Child Protection Services scheme. The Ministry has also issued advisories and guidelines for encouraging COVID appropriate behavior, monitoring of Child Care Institutions and coping strategies during COVID times for mental health support to children and care givers.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 enacted by Govt  of  India  provides  safeguards  for  children  against  sexual  abuse  .The  Act  was amended in 2019 to introduce more stringent punishment including death penalty for committing sexual crimes on children, with a view to deter the perpetrators & prevent such crimes against children.

Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy,  Ministry  of  Education  issued advisory on 04.08.2020 to all State Governments and UT Administrations on preventive measures to combat child trafficking in an effective manner on post lock down situation due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minsitry of Labour and Employment is also implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labourers. Under the NCLP Scheme, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/ withdrawn from work and  enrolled  in  the  NCLP  Special  Training  Centres  to  provide  bridge  education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health-care etc. before being mainstreamed into  formal  education  system.  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  also  relaxed   the norms  in  respect  of  functioning  of  the  Special  Training  Centres  and  sanctioning  of financial  grants  under  the  National  Child  Labour  Pproject  from  April,  2020  to September, 2020 in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

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