(a) the number of cases of trafficking in women and children reported and the number of children/women rescued during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
(b) whether the Supreme Court has made any observations in this regard;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the follow-up action taken by the Government thereon; and
(d) the measures taken by the Government to check child trafficking and prostitution and rehabilitation of the trafficked women and children?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)
(a): As per information received from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), number of cases of trafficking ofwomen and children reported and the number of children/women rescued during 2012-14 (provisional) is appended below:
Year Total Number Total number Number of Number of of victims of victims victims victims Reported reported rescued recued Trafficked trafficked (below (women) (below 18 (women) 18 years) years)
2012 2820 2330 2600 1966 2013 3653 2833 3420 2502 2014 1569 1447 1314 1238
State/UT wise details of victims reported and victims rescued under Human Trafficking for below 18 years and for Women are enclosed at Annexure-I & II, respectively.
(b) & (c): The Hon’ble Supreme Court has been making observations and giving direction in this regard from time to time. Government of India has issued the follo- wing advisories to put in place an overall mechanism for monitoring the cases:
(i) Advisory for preventing crime of human trafficking dated 9.9.2009.
(ii) Advisory on measures to be taken by States/UTs for combating trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation dated 12.10.2011.
(iii) Advisory on missing children – measures needed to prevent trafficking and trace the children –reg dated 31st January, 2012.
(iv) Advisory on Hon’ble Supreme Court’s direction to file FIR in case of Missing Children dated 25.6.2013
(v) SOP to handle trafficking of children for child labour dated 12.8.2013
(d): The Government of India has taken various steps to check child trafficking and prostitution and rehabilitation of the trafficked women and children 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) Enacted the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention)Act, 1956, the premier legislation for preventing of tra- fficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
(iii) Establishment of Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in 225 districts of the country.
(iv) Issued comprehensive Advisories on Human Traffi- cking (available at http://stophumantrafficking- mha.nic.in/forms/Sublink1.aspx?lid=92).
(v) Organized quarterly meetings with Nodal Officers of AHTUs and concerned Ministries to review the efforts taken to combat Human Trafficking.
(vi) The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) formulated a National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploi- tation of Women and Children in 1998, with the objective to prevent, mainstream and to reintegrate the women and child victims of commercial sexual exploitation in society.
(vii) The MWCD constituted a Central Advisory Committee (CAC) under the Chairpersonship of Secretary, MWCD, Government of India to advise on the issues relating to trafficking.
(viii) The MWCD is implementing Ujjawala – A comp- rehensive Scheme for Prevention of Trafficking and Rescue,Rehabilitation, Re-integration and Repat- riation of Victims of Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation.
(ix) The MWCD has an Integrated Child Protection Scheme(ICPS) which has various components including extending emergency outreach services through Chil- dline toll free number 1098, open shelters for children in need in urban and semi urban areas, support for family, etc.
(x) The MWCD has formulated a protocol for Pre-rescue, Rescue and Post-rescue operation of child victims of trafficking for the purpose of Commercial Sexual Exploitation.
(xi) The MWCD issued an advisory on 12.10.2011 on the measures to be taken by States/UTs for combating tra- fficking of women and children for commercial trafficking.
(xii) The Ministry of Labour & Employment had issued a Protocol on prevention, rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation of trafficked child labour in March, 2008.
(xiii) The Ministry of Railways has recently issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in accordance with the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection Act) 2000 and the related rules, for better care and protection of the “child in contact with railways”.