Maneka confident about passage of anti-trafficking bill in Dec

Government is holding discussions with NGOs on the proposed bill aimed at addressing various aspects of human trafficking and it would be passed by Parliament in the winter session, Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said here today.
She also said a new initiative, "e-box", will be launched on August 26 to help protect children against abuse, and work is on for releasing a "national list" of sexual offenders to aid prevention of crimes against women and children.
"We are consulting with NGOs across the country to make India's first anti-trafficking bill...It will be made into law by December," she said at a function here.

Gandhi had in May last year released the draft of the bill on Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) and invited suggestions from stakeholders and NGOs.
Addressing the gathering at a function held in support of rescue and rehabilitation of children under project 'Abhayam' of Daya Foundation led by Latha Rajinikanth, she said the present provisions of the law do not holistically take into account the trafficking scenario.
"Till now, there is no specific bill that takes into account all the different aspects of trafficking," she said.

The proposed bill aims at creating "a strong legal, economic and social environment against trafficking of persons and related matters".

The minister said that on August 26, she will be inaugurating the "e-box" plan under which "any child who has been touched inappropriately can open the e-box on computer and file a complaint."
"It will be fully confidential and proper action will be taken on the complaints," she said.
She exhorted school principals and other sections of the society to create awareness about the initiative among children.
Children become victims of molestation by "some teachers, shopkeepers or even family members". The new initiative would help the victims of such cases, she said.
She said the previous initiative of placing a box in schools could no longer be relied upon due to issues related to confidentiality.

She said the Union Home Ministry has been asked "to make a national list of sexual offenders."
On the reason behind it, she said, "because otherwise, police very rarely share knowledge and therefore, it becomes difficult when one person (offender) moves from one state to another and hopefully this will be done soon.