India fully committed to world free of human trafficking

India is fully committed to a world free of human trafficking and it wants to achieve this goal through empowering the vulnerable sections of the society who are the potential victims, a top Indian diplomat has said.
"India is firmly committed towards a world free of human trafficking. Our commitment is reflected in various national legislations and policies," Indian Ambassador to the UN Asoke Kumar Mukerji said here yesterday.
Listing out New Delhi's action plan in this regard, he said India also seeks to eradicate trafficking through empowering the vulnerable sections of our society, who are its potential victims.
"This is also one of the core objectives of this Global Plan," he said in his address to the High Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the appraisal of the global plan of action to combat trafficking in person.

"The international community, including the UN, must contribute and help States that seek financial and technical assistance in their efforts at capacity building and in putting in place the administrative and legal framework - institutional reforms required to combat this challenge," the Indian Ambassador said.
Addressing the assembly, Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Masood Khan said human trafficking is rooted in the social and economic conditions in victims' origin countries.

Discrimination against women and children, as well as "cruel indifference" to human suffering, fuelled the ignoble and criminal trade, Khan said, adding that on the national level, Pakistan had adopted an ordinance incorporating a role for civil society to work with law-enforcement agencies for the rehabilitation of victims.

To address challenges on the international level, he suggested raising awareness, fostering global partnerships, continuing efforts to criminalise trafficking, and ensuring the provision of humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims.
Participating in the debate, representatives of several countries said that combating the scourge of human trafficking requires utmost international cooperation and coordination. The debate would continue today.