Anti-trafficking bill gets nod from Cabinet

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Anti-trafficking Bill which will address the issues of trafficking from the point of view of prevention, rescue and rehabilitation.

With this Bill, government hopes to fight all aggravated forms of trafficking, including forced labour, begging, trafficking administering chemical substance, trafficking of a woman or child for the purpose of marriage.

The Trafficking of Persons (Protection, Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 is likely to be presented in the Parliament in the coming session. According to Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Maneka Gandhi, this is the 'best bill' to tackle the menace of human trafficking. She also said that after India ratified the 2011 United Nations convention, these rules had to be brought in place. The current bill addresses all points of the convention — which includes prosecution of perpetrators, protection of victims and prevention of trafficking.

The Bill proposes stringent punishment of up to 10 years of imprisonment, as well as creating institutional mechanism with dedicated courts for trials.