Lok Sabha Question No. 2713 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Trafficking in Women and Children
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI, ARJUN RAM  MEGHWAL, P.R. SUNDARAM, RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY, SHER SINGH GHUBAYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2713

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  MAY, 2016/ VAISAKHA 20, 1938 (SAKA)

## TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

2713. SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI: SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL: SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM: DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY: SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether there are reports of poor and homeless children from India being trafficked to some countries particularly Europe and Middle East Countries as slaves to serve as domestic servants in these countries;

(b) if so, the details of such cases reported during the last one year and the current year and the steps taken by the Government to rescue these poor children and hand over them to their parents;

(c) the measures taken by the Government to check such instances of human trafficking;

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  signed  agreements  with  the  foreign countries  including  United  Arab  Emirates  to  check  human  trafficking; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (c): No  such  specific  cases  of  trafficking  of  poor  and  homeless children from India to some countries particularly Europe and Middle

## LS.US.Q.No. 2713 FOR 10.05.2016

East  countries  as  slaves  to  serve  as  domestic  servants  in  these countries, have been reported. However, there are some media reports that after the recent devastating earthquake, Nepali women and children are prone to be trafficked to Middle East and other destinations through India.

The Government of India has taken various steps to combat human trafficking and has adopted a multi-pronged approach alongwith concerned Ministries and stakeholders, as detailed below:-

(i) Enactment of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, wherein Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code has been substituted with Section  370  and  370A  of  IPC  which  provide  for  comprehensive measures to counter the menace of Human Trafficking.

- (ii) Establishment of Anti Human Trafficking Units(AHTUs) in 234 districts of the country.

(iii) Issued following advisories on Human  Trafficking  to all States/UTs:

-  Advisory for preventing crime of human trafficking dated 9.9.2009.

## LS.US.Q.No. 2713 FOR 10.05.2016

-  Advisory on missing children dated 31.1.2012.
-  Advisory  on  Human  Trafficking  as  Organised  Crime  dated 30.4.2012.
-  Advisory  on  Preventing  and  combating  human  trafficking  in India-dealing with foreign nationals dated 1.5. 2012
-  SOP  to  handle  trafficking  of  children  for  child  labour  dated 12.8.2013
-  Advisory  for  associating  SSB  and  BSF  in  crime  meetings dated 23.7.2015.

These advisories are available at MHA's Web Portal on Anti Human Trafficking (www.stophumantrafficking-mha.nic.in).

(iv) Holding  of  periodic  meetings  with  Nodal  Officers  of  AHTUs and  concerned  Ministries  to  review  the  efforts  made  to  combat Human Trafficking.

(v) India is the signatory of United  Nations  Convention  on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC) and SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.

## LS.US.Q.No. 2713 FOR 10.05.2016

(vi) Indian Mission is in regular contact with  the  Nepalese Security Agencies for preventing cross-border crimes like trafficking.

(d) & (e): A  Memorandum  of  Understanding(MoU)  between  India  and Bangladesh on Bi-lateral Cooperation for Prevention of Human Trafficking in Women and Children, Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Re-integration of Victims of Trafficking was signed in 6 th  June, 2015.

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