To combat child trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), National Coalition to Protect our Children (NCPOC), and other agencies have come up with a solution that focuses on choking the demand.
At a State-level consultative meeting with social activists, researchers and government representatives, P.M. Nair, chairperson, TISS, said, “In child trafficking cases, the focus is on rescue, rehabilitation and prevention. It is never on those who commit the offence.” The mission of the discussion and the subsequent results, he said, was to ensure that children in our country, beginning with Karnataka, are safe.
Focus on education
Kripa Alva, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said the focus should be on educating children. “A strict enforcement of compulsory education of children up to the age of 18 can help curb child trafficking,” she said. She said people’s participation is equally important to prevent the crime.
National Child Grid
Rajeev Chandrashekhar, MP, said, “The idea of creating a National Child Grid, is to create a platform where all officials irrespective of place, can access information that will help track habitual offenders, keep track of missing children, and more. This grid will be accessible to all officials and will be constantly updated,” he said. This idea, he said, is still in its proposal stages.
