11 July 2013 - UNODC has commissioned a country assessment of service providers and criminal justice actors who deal with victims of human trafficking in India. The report is the result of consultations with officers of anti-human trafficking units, key ministries and civil society, as well as government and NGO-run victim shelter homes. It also provides a brief situational analysis of 13 forms of human trafficking, such as trafficking for organs, forced marriages and adoption rackets, and highlights broad trends across the country.
The report, made possible with support from the European Union, details initiatives taken by the national, as well as 21 state-level governments in India, to counter trafficking; lays out constitutional and legal provisions, including landmark judgements; and describes government-sponsored protection schemes. Data from the National Crimes Record Bureau of India on missing persons are also presented. In addition, the report identifies key areas that require attention and concerted action to strengthen services for trafficking survivors, such as the provision of special juvenile police units and victim shelters.
The assessment was carried to assist officials, service providers and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive response for victim assistance and protection services in the area of human trafficking in the country.
Protecting the identity and rights of human trafficking survivors not only helps convict traffickers but also guards against re-trafficking. To ensure a victim-centred and human rights approach to the crime of trafficking in persons, there is a need to improve mechanisms for the identification of victims and the establishment of adequate referral procedures for institutions providing support, assistance and reintegration.