report on consultative meeting on combating human ...stoptrafficking.in/report-nagaland.pdfnagaland,...
TRANSCRIPT
1
Report on Consultative Meeting on Combating Human
Trafficking in Nagaland
The Nagaland State Social Welfare Board and the State Resource Centre for Women,
Nagaland, in collaboration with Arz, Goa, organized the “Consultative Meeting on
Combating Human Trafficking in Nagaland” on March 15, 2013 at the Capital Convention
Centre, Kohima.
The program was attended by representatives of various government and non-
government agencies in Nagaland, as well as the police, media, and the church. Shri Arun
Pandey (Director of Arz, Goa), Shri Kedar Dash (architect of Arz’s web portal), and Shri
Jayant Pawanikar (Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women and Child Development,
Maharashtra), who came from Goa and Maharashtra respectively, participated as resource
persons.
The program was chaired by Smt. Meneno V., Research Officer, SRCW, who opened
with a brief welcome note, and gave a brief introduction to Arz, Goa. According to a note
received from Arz, they are “a social work organization in Goa working towards combating
human trafficking.” Arz has been appointed as the “Nodal NGO” of the Integrated Anti-
Human Trafficking Unit, by the Goa Police. And in collaboration with the Department of
Women and Child Development, Goa, Arz is providing rehabilitation services to the inmates
of the Government State Protective Home in Goa. Arz was also awarded by the Government
of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, with the “Outstanding work done by an NGO in the
field of anti-human trafficking for the year 2011,” for their work on anti-human trafficking.
Smt. Dellirose M. Sakhrie, Additional Secretary to the Government of Nagaland,
Social Welfare Department delivered the keynote address. In her speech, she pointed out
that the dimension of human trafficking for commercial sex workers, bonded labour and child
labour is increasing day by day due to various socio-economic reasons. Smt. Sakhrie also
addressed the need for reviewing and reassessing the local situation with serious concern and
taking on a multi-sectoral approach to prevent the crime of human trafficking through active
participation of service providers like the government agencies, civil bodies and NGOs.
Session I:
After the keynote address, Shri Arun Pandey, the Director of Arz gave an
introduction to the consultative meeting, providing factual information on the present
scenario of human trafficking, indicating that human trafficking is on the rise in the whole of
India. He also discussed the cases of young Nagas who had been trafficked to Chennai, Goa,
and Rajasthan. He touched upon various issues faced by service providers, pointing out that
one of the major challenges for them is that human trafficking does not have any
geographical boundaries, rendering service providers helpless; in that, when it comes to
commercial sexual exploitation, the traffickers do not exploit victims in their native village or
the city of the victim. He also said that victims are usually trafficked to places where they do
not have any support system to protect them. Shri Pandey also indicated that traffickers are
2
Photo
: K
hrie
phre
tuo S
orh
ie &
Andre
w
now targeting new places, specifically the Northeast, and adapting new modus operandi for
trafficking girls through advertisements in newspapers, ICT technology such as mobile
phones and facebook, using fake identity.
Shri Pandey shared that a series of consultation is being organized by Arz under the
banner of Stop Trafficking, and that the purpose of the consultation in different states is for
connecting service providers, government and non-government agencies, such as police,
social welfare department and NGOs within the state and from the destination state, to meet
and discuss about the phenomenon and share about the interventions; and also to share about
the challenges faced while providing services and to seek each other’s assistance to address
the challenges, and to discuss on the web portal, which is playing a key role in connecting the
service providers, and helping in service mobilization; and to share the best practices in
different states in the area of rescue, inquiry, rehabilitation and prosecution. Given all the
technicalities involved, Shri Pandey pointed out that there should be a nodal officer in each
department office, who would be responsible to look into the cases.
Arz’s web portal, www.stoptrafficking.in, provides information about the service
providers (NGOs, CWC, JJB, etc) in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It also assists in rescue of
trafficked persons. The Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI in its advisory on “missing children
and measures to prevent trafficking and trace the children” has advised the State Government
agencies to use the web portal. Shri Kedar Dash, the architect of the web portal, in his
introduction to the web portal, emphasized the need for networking and communication.
While pointing the need for registration on the web portal for reporting cases, he also
demonstrated how it can be used by service providers in reporting and tracking the status of
trafficked victims.
Shri Kedar Dash, architect of the web portal, www.stoptrafficking.in, explaining its usage to
participants at the consultative meeting. Also seen in the photo are Shri Arun Pandey (Director,
Arz, Goa), Shri Jayant Pawanikar (Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women and Child
Development, Maharashtra, and Smt. Dellirose M. Sakhrie, Additional Secretary to the
Government of Nagaland, Social Welfare Department.
3
This was followed by a talk on the “Steps taken by the Government and Non-
Government agencies in Maharashtra in the rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of human
trafficking” by Shri Jayant Pawanikar, Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women
and Child Development, Maharashtra. He indicated that human trafficking, considered the
third largest business in the world, is on the verge of becoming the second largest business as
there is no need for a capital in the business. He also stated that with the increasing demand
for younger girls, the age at which people enter prostitution is now decreasing, citing an
example of an 11-year old girl who was trafficked and rescued at the age of 12. He
highlighted on some of the government programs on combating human trafficking in
Maharashtra, which include:
The Code of Conduct issued for the tourism sector, the police and the taxi drivers by
the External and Home Affairs and Tourism Department in Maharashtra.
Report received from Maharashtra Police revealed that 7500 trafficked girls were
rescued as per a collection of data from 6 years.
Community organization and mobilization, which includes SHGs, youth and
adolescents, village leaders, government employees
Training programs for police, probation officers, district officers, district advisory
committees, including constables.
Training programs for commercial sex workers
Sensitizing brothels
District collector and the police given judiciary powers to close brothels
With this factual backgrounder, Shri Pawanikar shared some of the expectations on
the source states from where victims are trafficked:
Follow up report of the repatriated victim
Sharing of information received from victim
Speedy vacancy for victims from Nagaland
Preventive measures to combat human trafficking
Appointment of nodal officers to be contacted
Convergence and coordination
Regular interaction with Government officials
It is worth mentioning, as informed by Shri Arun Pandey, that Maharashtra is the only
state that has 2 courts for the trial of traffickers.
A presentation by Shri Arun Pandey followed, with a brief sketch of the present
scenario in Goa. He stated that Goa is both a source and destination state, but that an
increasing number of trafficked victims are from outside the state, with the number of girls
from the Northeast on the rise, specifically, girls from Nagaland. The forms used for
trafficking girls ranges from hotels and lodges to flats, dance clubs, massage parlours, and
conferences where girls are hired to dance and entertain guests, after which they are duped
into commercial sexual exploitation.
4
The interventions of Goa Government as highlighted by Shri Pandey include –
Rescue, Safety & Protection, Inquiry, Repatriation, Rehabilitation at Protective Homes, Non
Institutional Rehabilitation, and Prosecution. He further pointed out various roles of service
providers in the source states, such as:
Social Welfare/NGO
Address verification
Tracing family
Home Investigation Report
Arrangement of documents – Citizen Certificate, Birth Certificate, identity proof of
relatives.
Receiving victims
Escorting the victims
Services to the victims and family – Counselling, protection, rehabilitation, follow-up
Arranging for victims at the time of deposition of victims during the trial.
Sharing information about the trafficking.
Concluding his presentation, Mr. Pandey proposed various steps in order to augment
the fight against human trafficking, which include: knowledge about available services,
sharing of information about the traffickers, their networks and modus operandi and
collaboration, learning from each other’s work, and collaboration between the service
providers.
Session II:
After a quick tea break, Shri C.J.Ponraj, Principal Secretary to the Government of
Nagaland, Department of P & AR & Law and Justice presented an “Overview of the
Situation of Human Trafficking in Nagaland and the Challenges faced in the state.” He gave a
brief overview of the current realities across the state, and further enquired on whether or not
profiling of victims has been done in the state.
Panel 1:
The consultation continued with the first panel discussion on the topic “Role, work
done and challenges faced by the Government in the rehabilitation of trafficked victims/
prosecution of traffickers.” This panel discussion was moderated by Smt. Avinuo Kire,
Assistant State Coordinator, State Resource Centre for Women. The panellists, all from the
government sector, included the following panellists:
1. Smt. Dr. Temsüla, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women
2. Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Service Authority and
Registrar of Gauhati High Court
3. Smt. Renchumi Imti, Programme Officer, State Adoption Resource Centre, Integrated
Child Protection Scheme
4. Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems Analyst, National Informatics Centre, Nagaland.
5
Photo
: K
hrie
phre
tuo S
orh
ie &
Andre
w
Smt. Dr. Temsüla, Chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women
averred that the realities in the state cannot be ignored. She further noted that the various
organizations which work in this sector, stop vtheir work at repatriation, but that the real job
begins when the victims go back home to their families after having gone through the
traumatic experience of being trafficked. She also emphasized on the need for disseminating
networking devices, proper networking of stakeholders, and the need for economic
rehabilitation.
The next panellist, Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal
Service Authority and Registrar of Gauhati High Court, informed that child trafficking in
the state is mostly confined to working in homes and commercial establishments such as
shops, restaurants and factories, and that Nagas are often ignorant of the fact that a child
working in their homes is illegal under Section ____ of the Child Labour (Prohibition and
Regulation) Act of 1986. One of the factors attributed to the common practice of child labour
in Nagaland is that children willingly live in homes, as they are able to go to school and pay
their tuition fees with their earnings.
Shri Lima also informed that the Nagaland Legal Services Authority provides free
legal services, and various other programs such as legal awareness programs, literacy
programs on child labour, Juvenile Justice Systems, and free panel lawyers starting from
police station, and free assistance to victims of human trafficking till such time comes when
the government is able to take over and provide assistance to the victims.
Resource persons of the first panel discussion (L-R): Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary,
Nagaland State Legal Services Authority & Registrar of Gauhati High Court; Smt. Renchumi Imti,
Programme Officer, State Adoption Resource Centre, Integrated Child Protection Scheme; Smt. Dr.
Temsüla, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women; Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems
Analyst, National Informatics Centre, Nagaland; & Smt. Avinuo Kire, Assistant State Coordinator,
SRCW who moderated the panel discussion.
6
Shri Lima pointed out that when trafficked victims are rescued, proper counselling
and employment generation are vital, and yet there are no juvenile homes in any of the 11
districts of Nagaland. He therefore, recommended that NGOs should establish juvenile
homes. He also recommended that there should be a paid social worker and a police officer,
preferably women, in all police stations particularly in Dimapur, Kohima, and Mokokchung
where there are higher occurrences of human trafficking, and that the Police Department
should designate personnel for this.
Shri Lima also informed that there are legal literacy programmes for police units
involved in arresting human traffickers, child labour in order to ensure they are fully
equipped. He also recommended that if possible, there should be a separate department in the
state to tackle cases pertaining to human trafficking.
The next panellist, Smt. Renchumi Imti, Programme Officer, State Adoption
Resource Centre, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) presented on various cases
of child trafficking, and what the ICPS has done so far in terms of rescue and repatriation of
trafficked victims. In her presentation, she stated, “The Integrated Child Protection Scheme
(ICPS) is an umbrella scheme with a view to provide a safe and secure environment for the
overall development of children who are in need of care and protection as well as children in
conflict with law, including children in difficult circumstances.”
Smt. Imti explained that in order to ensure that the objectives and approaches of ICPS
are met, the ICPS has established state and districts bodies within a service delivery structure.
At the state level:
State Child Protection Society (SCPS)- For implementation of ICPS at the State Level
State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA)- To promote and regulate legal adoption
State Project Support Unit (SPSU)- Technical support unit to facilitate the
implementation of the scheme.
And at the district level, the following have been set up:
District Child Protection Society (DCPS)- For implementation of ICPS in all the 11
districts of Nagaland
Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)- to adjudicate
matters related to children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with
law.
Smt. Imti stated that over the years, Nagaland has become a source, destination and
transit region for human trafficking, and that there are cross-border trafficking, especially
from Myanmar and Bangladesh, as well as Interstate trafficking from Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh and some from Meghalaya. She pointed out that it is poverty which forces parents in
Naga-dominated areas of Myanmar to send their children to Nagaland in the hope that they
would get education, but that most children land up as domestic help. Drawing attention to
the reality in the home state, Smt. Imti informed that there were over 500 children working in
Kohima alone, and that the traffickers, who convince parents of better education for their
children, get anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per child.
7
Smt. Imti also informed that the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organizations (ENPO)
reported that child trafficking from the backward districts of Nagaland had become a seriuous
concern because of poverty; and that at present, there are around 3,000 children, mostly girls,
working as domestic helps in and around Kohima, of whom, about 1,000 are from Mon
district alone.
Some highlights on rescue and repatriation done by the SCPS were also presented:
In 2009, 29 (twenty nine) children (all from Peren district) were rescued from a home in
Andhra Pradesh. These children had been through various physical, social, emotional and
mental traumas, and were rescued and repatriated to Nagaland. Smt. Imti also informed that
at present, the SCPS Nagaland is keeping close check on these children in co-ordination with
the District Administration, Police, Civil Societies, Village Council and schools.
In another case, in 2011, 6 Naga children from Peren district were rescued from Hope
Home, Kolkata, West Bengal. Of these children, one child was only 2 years old. She had
been given up by her mother as she could not afford to keep her. SCPS Nagaland coordinated
with Childline Kolkata. The officials of SCPS and the State Juvenile Police units went and
rescued the children and repatriated them back to their families. The DCPO, Peren along with
the counsellors and legal officers are in constant touch with these families and children. Smt.
Imti also informed that the SCPS is in the process of providing sponsorships and foster care
to some of these children. SCPS is also trying to initiate legal adoption so these that these
children can be placed in a safe home.
In the most recent case as reported in the local media, involving trafficking of
children from Nagaland, the Rajasthan Police rescued 49 children (which included 27 girls
from the northeast, aged between 4 and 14) from an illegal orphanage in Jaipur. The children
were kept confined in shelter homes which were not registered with government agencies. A
man claiming to be a pastor was arrested by police, officials said. Police detained a man
identified as Jacob John, who claims to be a pastor, the officer added. According to John, the
children are from poor families across the country, some of whom are from Punjab, Assam,
Manipur, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh.
In conclusion, Smt. Imti informed on the Child Line Services and the Track the Child
– Child Tracking System. Child Line, the toll-free number 1098, which is a 24-hour
telephone service run under the aegis of MWCD, available to all children in distress, or to
adults on behalf of children in distress. One of the basic objectives of Child Line is to respond
to the emergency needs of the children in difficulty and provide referral services. And Track
the Child – Child Tracking System, a web-enabled Child Protection Management information
System on all children accessing services to track missing children has been introduced in
Nagaland in collaboration with the NIC.
The ICPS/ SCPS presentation was followed by Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems
Analyst at the National Informatics Centre, Nagaland, who gave a detailed presentation
on the “National Portal on Track Child for “Missing & Vulnerable Children.” Explaining the
Features of the Child Tracking System, she outlined the following:
8
Profiling of Children of CCIs
Electronic filing of outcomes of “Counselling Sessions
Screening of children with special needs
Status tracking through automation of (Child Welfare Committee) CWCs / (Juvenile
Justice Board) JJBs
Child Health status tracking
Educational Competency Tracking
Vocational Needs
Integration of Child Adoption process
Smt. Natso further presented on how the various services for children can converge
together, such as Education; Health; Legal Justice and Rehabilitation; Development; Care,
Protection, Rescue & Rehabilitation; Child Helpline; Non Institutional Care; Child Protection
Services; Training & Capacity Building; Monitoring; and Vocational Training. Further, on
the Implementation Strategy, she outlined the following:
Formation of Central Project Team and declaration of “Mission Leader”
Formation of State Project Teams
Requirement analysis and customisation as per specifications worked out (if any) in
consultation with the State Project team
Roll Out Strategy for all states and UTs
Ms. Natso identified the stakeholders at the Central, State, District, Block, and Village
levels respectively. She then explained the eServices, which are specific facilities available
for Police Personnel and the WCD/Social Welfare for CCIs, CWCs, JJBs etc.
After this, the major challenges faced were described, which include, ensuring 100%
reporting of cases; capturing details of cases into a central data repository; matching of
“Missing” and “Recovered” Children/Persons; and computer literacy.
Ms Natso further presented a detailed chart titled: Workflow for “Children Tracking
System” – The SAFETY NET, which was followed by a proposal on the Steps to be taken to
meet the Challenges, and the Impact of ICT Interventions.
Following the first panel, Shri Elias Lotha, D.I.G., Nodal Officer of Human Rights
and Anti Human Trafficking, Nagaland Police presented a paper on “The Situation of
Human Trafficking in Nagaland; Steps Taken by the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU)
and challenges faced in the rescue of the trafficked victims.” Shri Lotha pointed out that
human trafficking in Nagaland is evident in three forms: Firstly, the young educated women
and men who are lured away by touts and agents of various companies with the assurance of
providing decent job avenues on payment of prescribed fees; secondly, young teenage
students who want to pursue higher studies, but whose families cannot afford the fees, and
are therefore lured with free education including free food and lodging; thirdly, children
belonging to poor families, who are brought from Assam, Burma borders, going as far as
Nepal and employed as domestic help, winding up as child labourers.
9
Shri Lotha informed that Nagaland has Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) set
up in all the 11 districts, clubbed together with women police stations and supervised by
Additional S.P. of each district as the Nodal Officer. He further noted that the AHTUs are
working in close collaboration with the departments of Prosecution, Social Welfare, Health
and Family Welfare, and Labour and Employment. Shri Lotha also informed that the Police
Department organizes workshops on human trafficking on an annual basis, attended not only
by police officers, but also representatives from the State Legal Aid Authority, Prosecution,
Department of Social Welfare, Naga Mothers’ Association, Health and Family Welfare and
the Media fraternity participate to deliberate upon the issue of human trafficking, and that the
plans for action drawn from these workshops have been disseminated and handed down to all
the police district units for strict compliance.
Another feature of the Police Department as mentioned by Shri Lotha, is the setting
up of Local Intelligence Units (LIU) in all police stations, outposts and beat posts both in
rural and urban areas, specifically for collection of information related to human trafficking
cases, and that besides NGOs, village panchayats and church organizations are earnestly
taken into confidence for sharing of information related to human trafficking and child
labour. There are also various forms of literacy campaigns, one of which is through enrolling
police officers in the Anti-Human Trafficking course at IGNOU, and the other is through the
Police Training School Chumukedima, which has incorporated all relevant topics and
sections of the laws related to human trafficking in the indoor teaching syllabus since 2010.
Shri Lotha also shared the challenges faced in the rescue of trafficked victims, which
are – shortage of manpower, post rescue challenges, such as the lack of shelter homes,
counselling services, and employment opportunities. He further outlined the various relevant
legislations pertaining to human trafficking, and also provided statistics of human trafficking
cases around the world, including case studies. His presentation also included, the specific
roles of the police, prosecutors, and the NGOs in AHT were also identified, including the
protocols to be followed in rescuing trafficked victims in his presentation.
In his conclusion, Shri Elias affirmed the commitment of the Police Department, with
their slogan, “Arrest one trafficker – save hundreds of optionless girls/ women”; to check gulf
trafficking; achieving cross-sectoral synergy and their vow for Zero Tolerance to Trafficking;
and lastly, with the challenge, “Let us Protect the Child’s Rights and understand that rescue is
her right.”
Panel 2:
The second panel discussion followed, moderated by Smt. Gracy Ayee, State
Coordinator, State Resource Centre for Women on the topic, “Role, steps taken and
challenges faced by the NGOs in combating human trafficking and rehabilitation of trafficked
victims in Nagaland.” The panellists, all representatives from various NGOs, included the
following persons:
1. Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home
2. Smt. Asha, Director, Miqlat Ministry
10
Photo
s: K
hrie
phre
tuo
Sorh
ie &
Andre
w
3. Smt. Moamenla, Director, Mothers’ Hope
4. Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General Secretary, Naga Students’ Federation; and
5. Sister Therese, Director, Assisi Centre for Integrated Development.
Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home opened his presentation
with the initiatives of the Prodigals’ Home, the first of which is a one-year project titled,
“Prevention of Child Trafficking in the Northeast India and Cross Border Anti Trafficking
Initiative” with Impulse NGO network as the nodal agency for northeast India; organizing of
awareness program on Child Trafficking at various levels; documentation of Missing
Children that has been appearing in the local dailies since 2007, which also led to a study
titled, “Study of Missing Children with Focus on Child Trafficking and Means to Tackle the
Same,” covering missing reports from January 2007 to July 2009, and amounting to 230
missing children. Some of the major findings of the study include:
Every 3 ½ days, a person in Nagaland is reportedly missing for one reason or the
other.
83% of the missing are under the age of 18.
Out of the total number of children reported missing, Naga children make up 26%,
whilst non-Naga children make up 74%.
Male and female ratio of the reported missing are under the age of 18 stands at
50% each.
Dimapur records the maximum reports of missing children at 68%.
47% of the missing children are natives of Assam.
35% of the reported missing children are yet to be found/ traced.
13% were reportedly abducted/ trafficked.
72% of the reported missing are of children serving as domestic help.
56% of the children’s employments as domestic help are reportedly contracted by
their parents.
45% of those bringing children for employment are total strangers to those
families accepting children for domestic help.
Shri Jamir also presented some case studies, as well as some of the current initiatives
of the Prodigals’ Home, which includes the Documentation of Missing Reports from 2011
Till Date. He also informed of the Child Line Dimapur (1098) which is a national 24-hour
toll free emergency phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection, a
Resource persons of the second panel discussion (L-R): Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home;
Smt. Asha, Director, Miqlat Ministry; Smt. Moamenla, Director, Mothers’ Hope; Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General
Secretary, Naga Students’ Federation; & Smt. Sister Therese, Director, Assisi Centre for Integrated Development.
11
project of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. He explained that people can call
Child Line for medical assistance, shelter, missing children, trafficked children, protection
from abuse, or for emotional support and guidance. Shri Jamir further reported that the
number of cases tackled between April 2011 and September 2012 have been of 106 males
and 107 females (totalling 213). He also informed that the Short Stay Home for Women now
has 2 minors who are victims of trafficking.
Shri Jamir then shared on the challenges faced by NGOs in combating human
trafficking: that the homes sponsored by the Government have very limited resources and
services, and that funds are not released in time; that Childline is limited to only children, and
that it is not trafficking specific; that rescue is a challenge when there are no funds and the
systems are not in place; that in terms of rehabilitation, only a short stay home programme
cannot cater to the needs of trafficked children/ women, with no provision for trafficked male
victims; lack of resources and manpower leading to NGOs’ inability to do the role of
reintegration and repatriation of trafficked victims; and the absence or lack thereof when it
comes to doctors, clinical psychologists, psychiatrist, guards, and other facilities such as
medical care and legal aid in the state.
Shri Jamir highlighted the factors leading to human trafficking in Nagaland, such as
the high demand for domestic workers; ignorance about the issue of human trafficking (that
families do not realize that they are directly or indirectly involved in human trafficking); high
rate of runaway children; unemployment, which makes young people particularly women and
girls vulnerable to trafficking; unchecked influx of migrants; absence of mechanisms to
prevent traffickers at all levels; and the poor law and order situation, which paves the way for
traffickers to operate smoothly.
In his recommendations, he projected that there is a need for massive awareness
campaign on the issue of human trafficking and child labour; the need for projects on
prevention of trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking in
the vulnerable districts; strengthening special homes for children, JJBs, ICPS, CWCs and
ITPA in the state; the need to sensitize pastors and church leaders by legal units on the issue
of human trafficking and child rights, as the church is the best platform to create awareness;
to sensitize community leaders and recommend initiating vigilance committees at the village/
community levels; the need for more avenues for self-employment amongst the youth; and
finally, a more in-depth study into the issue of missing children.
Smt. Asha Sanchu, Director of the NBCC Women Department’s Miqlat Ministry
shared on the activities of Miqlat Ministry, and of the various cases they have been involved
in pertaining to human trafficking. She opined that the poor follow-up of trafficked and
rescued victims has been a drawback in this process. She emphasized on the need for non-
institutional rehabilitation of trafficked and rescued victims.
This was followed by Smt. Moamenla, Director of Mother’s Hope, who shared the
story of a 6 year old girl from Assam, who had been brought to a family in Kohima through a
middle person. The girl lived in this home for some years but at some point of time, she was
12
abused by the driver who had also been employed in the house, after which she was brought
to Mothers’ Hope as she had become pregnant. This story being one among many, Smt.
Moamenla questioned if the girls that are working in our homes are safe. Drawing from her
vast experiences of working in the field, she emphasized on the need for networking in
combating human trafficking.
Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General Secretary of the Naga Students’ Federation
(NSF) spoke on the need for both short-term and long-term measures to combat human
trafficking. He pointed out that the media can play a major role, and that strict vigils should
be kept around the border areas. He further spoke on the need for institutionalization of
government and non-government agencies, and for increased coordination. He pointed out
that Nagas are known for the cohesion and social support we render to one another in times
of need, and that we need to build on these traditional values and join hands in rescuing
Nagas who have been trafficked.
This was followed by a presentation by Smt. Sister Therese, Director of Assisi
Centre for Integrated Development. Sister Therese shared that she had been encountering
human trafficking, while not realizing that it is human trafficking. She described her call/
ministry in dealing with cases of human trafficking as a “call within the call,” in that she had
been called to serve the people of Nagaland, but that within this call, she found another call
which is to fight against the menace of human trafficking in Nagaland.
Smt. Therese shared some cases of human trafficking which she had encountered, and
informed that Assisi Centre has a Transit Shelter Home which provides basic counselling,
and that reintegration is done for all cases, including educational support of the victims. Smt.
Therese also shared some of the works done by Assisi Centre, which include a press
conference on stopping human trafficking, which was given on February 17th
and 18th
in
which victims of human trafficking spoke; awareness programmes, and also sensitizing every
SHG member on the issue of human trafficking.
In her recommendations, Smt. Therese focused on the need for Child Domestic
Workers (CDWs) to be included under the Child Labour Laws; including domestic workers
under the Minimum Wages Act, placing them under proper salary scale; creating separate
welfare board for domestic workers; binding of Child Labour in letter and spirit; and the
challenge for all to learn to stop denying child rights.
Smt. Daisy Mezhür, Secretary, Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, summed up
the panel discussion, stating that we have heard of human trafficking from the theoretical as
well as the figurative perspectives, and also of real ground experiences. She pointed out that
the entire state of Nagaland has only one Short Stay Home. Informing that the core of the
State Resource Centre for Women is convergence, she called upon all present to come
together and to do something about human trafficking.
Following this, the Media Perspective on Human Trafficking was presented by Shri
Filip Sumi of the Morung Express, who referred to the media as the informational partners
of the government. He maintained that it is important for the media to include the help lines
13
Photo
: K
hrie
phre
tuo S
orh
ie &
Andre
w
of AHTUs in their records. He also stressed that the media needs to highlight the stories of
survivors, and not their trauma, and if it is permissible, to cover court proceedings of cases.
To this, Shri Mayang Lima (Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Service Authority and
Registrar of Gauhati High Court), confirmed that coverage of court proceedings is indeed
permitted.
Shri Sumi further asserted that the media needs to be careful not to further victimize
those who have already been victims, by portraying them in such manner. He averred that
campaigns against human trafficking should be stepped up, and that the media, law enforcing
agencies and other relevant bodies should partner together in the fight against human
trafficking. He also maintained that the information published through the media should aim
at changing behaviour and not just the attitudes of its readers.
Smt. Juliana Medom, Planning Officer, State Resource Centre for Women
wrapped up the consultative meeting with a vote of thanks.
The consultative meeting came to a close, with comprehensive discussions carried out
successfully on the issue of combating human trafficking in Nagaland. It was clear from the
deliberations that looking at the issue from diverse angles, which included a vast array of
ground experiences both from the government as well as the non-government agencies from
various states helped in better understanding the complications involved in the trade. Some of
the main recommendations worth reiterating at this stage are, appointing nodal officers in all
relevant departments to oversee matters pertaining to human trafficking, creating awareness
and conscientizing the public in all spheres, setting the mechanisms in place, and the need for
better coordination, networking and communication amongst all relevant government and
non government agencies involved in combating human trafficking.
Meneno V.
Research Officer, SRCW
Some of the resource persons & participants at the close of the consultative meeting on combating human trafficking.