The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : GO remains unimplemented

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

GO remains unimplemented

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, OCT. 17. A Government Order issued last year to protect and rehabilitate the children of sex workers and prevent them from becoming sex workers remains virtually unimplemented. A network of non-government organisations (NGOs) had pressed for the GO that was issued by the TDP Government last year.

One of them, the Ongole-based HELP, took out an awareness rally comprising children from Tada to Ichhapuram covering the coastal districts. The secretary of HELP, N. Ramamohan, told reporters here on Sunday that following a public interest litigation, the Supreme Court had directed an action plan to be prepared to prevent trafficking and detailing steps for their rehabilitation.

Working lax

Several States did not respond, but in Andhra Pradesh GO MS No. 1 of 2003 was released by the Women and Child Welfare Department.

Among its salient features are formation of anti-traffic squads in every district led by a DSP-level official, a district-level committee headed by the Collector reviewing the progress every three months and schools for children of sex workers in villages.

However, implementation of the GO and work of the committees was nominal, Mr. Ramamohan said. Against 133 girls trafficked in the previous year, after the GO came into force 215 girls had been reported missing later. He attributed globalisation as one of the reasons for increasing trafficking and land-based labour getting reduced, forcing those belonging to the weaker sections to become sex workers. The girls, who were misled with offers of job in the cities, were not even welcomed by parents if they return, owing to the stigma that they carry with them.

Mr. Ramamohan said that to discuss the issues a State-level workshop would be organised on November 8 and 9.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh