India, Bahrain to sign pact to prevent human trafficking

India may soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bahrain to prevent human trafficking. The cabinet on Thursday gave its go ahead for the MoU.

Apart from preventing human trafficking, especially of women and children, the pact would aid in the rescue, recovery, repatriation and re-integration of victims of trafficking, officials said.

The MoU is expected to be signed when Home Minister Rajnath Singh visits Bahrain in the first week of April.

The pact aims to strengthen cooperation to prevent all forms of human trafficking and ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of traffickers and organised crime syndicates in either country.

"Anti-trafficking cells and task force will work on both sides to prevent human trafficking," an official statement said.

"Police and other concerned authorities will work in close cooperation and exchange information which can be used to interdict human traffickers.

"A joint task force with representatives from both sides would be constituted to monitor the working of the MoU," it added.

While many people from India voluntarily migrate to Bahrain to work as domestic workers or as unskilled labourers, some face conditions of forced labour after reaching Bahrain.

"It requires mutual cooperation for intelligence sharing, joint investigation and a coordinated response to the challenges of human trafficking. The MoU will help tackle all such issues," an official said.