Women police officers at a workshop on child trafficking in Ranchi on Friday. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Nov. 28: That incidents of child trafficking are on the rise is not news. Rather, what’s more important is to chalk out a plan to battle the social malaise.

With such concerns in mind, a state-level sensitisation workshop was today held for police officers and the state government at a hotel here.

The workshop, Child Protection, was organised jointly by the state chapter of NGO, Action Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Against Children, and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Ranchi, in collaboration with CID, Jharkhand, and Unicef, Jharkhand.

Apart from highlighting the role of the police in curbing crime, the programme also dwelled on statistics which tell us how the state is exposed to child trafficking.

Around one million children are victims of trafficking in Malaysia, Sudan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Middle East. They are sold to serve as bonded labourers, camel riders and beggars. Some are forced into prostitution abroad.

According to figures released by the NGO, about one lakh girls from Jharkhand have migrated to big cities in the past eight years.

The most sensitive areas as far as human trafficking is concerned are Gumla, Simdega, Pakur, Sahebganj, Lohardaga, Giridih, Chatra and Khunti.

Speakers at the meet discussed the role of the police in prevention of trafficking and re-trafficking, rescue of victims and post-rescue care and attention. They also deliberated on the police’s role in enforcing the Child Labour (Prohibition And Regulation) Act, along with other issues.

SPs, DSPs, CIDs and officers of police stations across 14 districts attended the workshop and vowed to cleanse the society of crime. V.D. Ram, the director-general of police (DGP), pointed out that controlling human trafficking is a big challenge for the government.

“The role of the police is important in this area. Hence, the state police will lend all possible support to deal with the issue,” Ram assured. State representative of Unicef Prakash Gurnani laid stress on three Ps — prevention, protection and prosecution. “Today, childhood is under threat. So, we need to create an environment for the survival of children’s rights,” Gurnani said. “We should also have a state juvenile police unit and conduct training for both men and women police force. More importantly, a special cell should be formed in Naxalite strongholds, along with a special police force,” Gurani said.

G.S. Rath, the additional DGP of CID, Jharkhand, rued that there is a serious lack of sensitivity regarding the issue. State co-ordinator of the NGO Sanjay Mishra said they have decided to conduct sensitisation workshops in every district of the state.