Trafficking survivors and activists urge govt to recognise human trafficking as national phenomenon

Trafficking survivors and activists have urged the government to recognise human trafficking as a national phenomenon and bring more women in the decision-making role to change the mindset of the people.

In a workshop organised by Sankalp Foundation on 'Is Human Trafficking a People's Issue in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana?', the survivors made an appeal to the government to recognise trafficking as a people's issue or a mainstream governance issue.

Naharvi, a trafficking survivor from Chattisgarh's Champa district, said she had worked as a bonded labour for 10 years in the brick-kiln industry.

"We were made to work for 17 hours a day and just allowed to sleep for four hours. We were kept locked and not allowed to move at our will. That is not a kind of life I want for my children and no one recognises our problems," she said.

Hemlata, an activist who worked for rehabilitation of brick-kiln workers from Rajasthan, said there was a need to look at trafficking from the point of view of migration. "There is a need to ensure safe migration for women and children so that they do not get trafficked due to unsafe migration."