Human trafficking: NHRC seeks report about placement agencies

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi to respond within two weeks about placement agencies which provide domestic help in the national capital.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that the surging demand for domestic help is fuelling a business that thrives on human trafficking by unregulated placement agencies. Hundreds of agencies are reportedly involved in the business of selling domestic workers.

Allegedly, the root cause of exploitation of tribal people, mostly women and children and those hailing from rural areas is that there is no hold on the placement agencies, which have emerged as the hubs and transit point for human trafficking.

The NHRC has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of women and children.

The report sent to the Delhi Police includes the following points: number of placement agencies, registered or unregistered, functioning in Delhi and the steps taken to keep a check on placement agencies.