Senior officials in the ministry said that a National Advisory Committee has been formed, which has already held consultations with the ministries of external affairs, law and home. Consultations are on, and a draft legislation is believed to make its way in the next month.
The Union ministry of women and child development is mooting a comprehensive law to tackle human trafficking. The move comes after a Supreme Court directive in December last year on a PIL filed by anti-trafficking body Prajwala, that asked the ministry to work on bringing up an agency to combat trafficking in the next six months, apart from drawing up an adequate legislation.
Senior officials in the ministry said that a National Advisory Committee has been formed, which has already held consultations with the ministries of external affairs, law and home. Consultations are on, and a draft legislation is believed to make its way in the next month.
"We have had a series of meetings on the last month and we are working on a comprehensive law to tackle the commercial exploitation of people. An inter-ministerial committee is working on consultations, and we will have a draft legislation as soon," said the official.
The legislation is expected to have a framework that has strong proactive and preventive measures, said the official. "We are also working on a strong rehabilitative and reformative protocol, and we want to mobilise local leaders in vulnerable areas," said the official.
The legislation will also work on victim rehabilitory measures like providing for legal help, medical attention and homes to stay in, apart from imparting them skills to help make them employable.
Last week, WCD joint secretary Sarada Ali Khan announced an organised Organised Crime Investigating Agency (OCIA) which will be a collaborative the ministry of home affairs and ministry of women and child development in tackling the issue. Rs 100 crore from the Nirbhaya Fund had been sanctioned in November 2016 for the OCIA.
A public interest litigation was filed in 2004 by anti-trafficking body Prajwala demanding a victim protection protocol and guidelines governing the preemptive, rescue and post-rescue measures in the rehabilitation of women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation. The apex body also took into account a report by the National Legal Services Authority on human trafficking while sending out the directive.
Sunitha Krishnan, founder, Prajwala, said that there are several sections that look at trafficking, but none that looks at the convergence between various departments. "We are looking at a comprehensive law that will oversee a multi-stakeholder convergence intervention with measures at both the prosecution and witness levels," said Krishnan. "We will also work on a strong rehabilitation protocol and victim witness protection."
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