Bhubaneswar, Aug. 29: The members of the state women commissions of 16 states gathered to discuss the challenges in prevention, rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of trafficking.

The seminar was titled National Convention for inter-state co-ordination on trafficking of girls and women. The two-day long event that was hosted at the Swosti Premium in the city concluded today.

Many chairpersons and member secretaries of various women commissions of north Indian states informed that girls from Odisha are often found there during rescue operations and raids. They are trafficked on the pretext of jobs but end up in brothels or are forcefully married. Due to the sheer lack of co-ordination between various departments of the different states involved in such cases, the victims suffer tremendoulsy.

"We came across a few Odia girls during raids at red light areas . But reuniting the victims of trafficking with their family is a tough process since a lot of co-operation and co-ordination is required from the women commissions of other regions and the police as well since various departments are involved in the process," said Swati Maliwal, chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.

There were suggestions and experiences put forth by the women commissions of Punjab, Karnataka, Bengal, the north eastern states.

Apart from the members of women commissions and prominent women activists such as Geeta Luthra, Sunita Krishnan, Manavendra Singh, the director of ministry of women and child development, Lopamudra Mohanty were present on the occasion.

Other stake holders such as academicians and research persons also attended the seminar.

The chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Women, Lopamudra Baxipatra, said: "The inter-state co-ordination will immensely help in preventing the organised crime of trafficking women and sharing of best practices by other commissions can help in rehabilitation or rescue of the victims."

"Trafficking of women from Odisha is growing and we depend on other states for the return of the victims found outside the state. This convention is the beginning for creation of a strong network between us," said Baxipatra.

The Odisha State Commission for Women hosted the event.