The Hindu : US aid to check human trafficking

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

US aid to check human trafficking

Kolkata March 19. The US Government will spend 50 million dollars the world over to fight human trafficking during the current fiscal and of this five million dollars would be spent in India, according to USAID's South Asia Regional Equity Advisor Didi Donavan.

"The US Administration has pledged 50 million dollars to various countries in fighting human trafficking. Of this, five million dollars will be given to India," he told a seminar here today on `Corporate Social Responsibility: Addressing Trafficking in Persons'.

Donavan said the amount would be spent in India through NGOs involved in anti-trafficking activities and rehabilitation of the victims.

The seminar was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in collaboration with the US Consulate here.

Addressing the seminar through video-conferencing, the US Ambassador in India, David Mulford, said an estimated one million people around the world, mostly women and children, were bought, sold, transported or held against their will for sexual abuse and forced labour.

"Countries may be characterised as source countries, transit countries or destination countries for trafficking victims. Frequently, the same country serves as both source and destination. India is an example of this," Mulford said.

Stating that the US had provided 54 million dollars in assistance to more than 70 countries over the past two fiscals, to strengthen anti-trafficking law enforcement, victim support, legislation and regional cooperation, he said "in the future, we plan to do more."

Stating this was a `particularly propitious' time for US and India for anti-trafficking collaboration, Mulford lauded India for its commitment to prevent, combat and eliminate human trafficking.

The `Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children', introduced in 1998 by Department of Women and Child Development, provided the government with a working agenda.

"Working with NGOs, the governments of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi are among those that have made visible strides on this programme," he said.

Mulford observed that the Indian authorities, however, recognised that low rate of convictions against traffickers was a barrier to the country's ability to combat trafficking effectively.

"Traffickers should be charged with non-bailable offence, which keeps them in custody, available for trial and at a safe distance from their accusers."

Pointing out that human trafficking was intimately related to the spread of HIV/AIDS, Mulford sounded a word of caution saying that economic disaster would follow if the epidemic went unchecked.

He said it was also important to look into the plight of victims before and after they were rescued, calling upon schools and families, religious and political leaders and NGOs and corporations to work together "in making the world a better and safer place for the most vulnerable among us".

Stating that the Indian companies had some of the best records of corporate social responsibility, he cited the example of the Tata group, saying it was known the world over for its corporate social responsibility.

Vice-Chairman of Usha Beltron Ltd, B K Jhawar, highlighted his company's social projects in Jharkhand. -- PTI

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