Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) chairperson, Dr. Temsula Ao, on Friday stated that as per the police data one person goes missing every fourth day in Nagaland. She pointed out that out of those missing persons, 83% were below the age of 18 (children and minors), 13% have been reportedly trafficked and 35% remained untraceable, the commission stated. NSCW also added that the reported cases of rescued victims were increasing In Nagaland.
NSCW chairperson was speaking at the legal awareness programme on “Human Trafficking” held at the De Oriental Grand here Friday organized by NSCW in association with the National Commission for Women, New Delhi. The seminars have been conducted in almost all the districts and sub-divisions and expected to continue till the end of May 2017.
NSCW chairperson said that human trafficking was an organized criminal trade, which was expanding at a phenomenal rate. However, she said it was unique as unlike other trades as the commodity that was being traded involved human beings. Dr. Temsula Ao asserted that there were many instances on human trafficking and missing persons that were unheard of because the parents who willingly send out their ‘minor’ children outside do not realize that they were unwillingly participating in a form of human trafficking of their own flesh and blood.
Because of such ignorance, NSCW chairperson said the agents take advantage and easily recruit groups of minors to be sold off to other agents in the trafficking racket for employing them in houses of ill repute or place them in affluent homes as forced or unpaid labourers.
She regretted that though the nodal agencies could be the anti-human trafficking units, which were supposed to be in all the districts attached to women cells, yet there seemed to be ambiguity about the establishment and functioning of such units.
Stating that the commission through its awareness programme has created its first step against human trafficking, Dr. Temsula said it was time for the Nagas to realise that human trafficking was a crime that needed to be tackled.
She pointed out human trafficking could be prevented only with a proper networking of responsible agencies.
NSCW chairperson said that dissemination about the establishment of One Stop Centre (OSC) and helpline 181 needed to be extended to remote areas also. OSCs have been established across the country by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence.
Nagaland State Legal Service Authority (NSLSA) member secretary, Nino Iralu, expressed concern over human trafficking, saying it was a serious problem being faced by the society today. She said any such incidents must be reported to the police. She also highlighted various schemes provided to the trafficking victims by the NSLSA.
NSCW member, Asangla Cholong, and NSCW legal consultant, Khriesinuo Kire, also spoke at the programme. Women participants from various churches and organizations attended the programme.
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