Ranchi, Feb. 19: “Nearly every third house in the poorest districts in Jharkhand has a child who has left home in search of food and work. Now they are missing from their families and public consciousness too”. The plight of adolescent girls and women of the aforesaid districts as well as the other regions of the state is also troublesome. The number of scars created by the consequent denials, deprivations, and exploitation of the victims is beyond calculation. The magnitude of this problem together with the apathy of the succesive governments and the resultant collateral damages can hardly be overstated.
As reported by the governmental agencies, the National Commission for Women, the National Human Rights Commission, and various NGOs of repute, Jharkhand is one of the worse affected states of the country. The National Human Rights Commission Action Research on Trafficking (2005), states that trafficking in human beings, more so in women and children, is one of the fastest growing forms of criminal activity. The Research report also states that every year, an average of 44,000 children are reported missing; of them, as many as 11,000 remain untraced.
The research states that at present Missing Children remains a neglected, low- priority intervention area for everyone other than those who have lost their children. The aforesaid statistics are corroborated by the data compiled by the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS). Organisations working for child welfare estimate that this is only the tip of the iceberg. They suggest that the actual numbers are much higher as only 10% of all cases are registered with the police.
Kiran Bedi, the then Director General, Bureau of Police, Research and Development, conceded that “the numbers of missing children who were being reported on child helplines were much more than the figures in police records”.
A most shocking revelation by a two-year study, titled ‘Trafficking of Women and Children in India’, compiled by Shankar Sen and P M Nair, with a team of ISS researchers, divulges that during the recent years, the graph of missing children has grown. Numerous reports also highlight that the percentage of untraced persons has also grown. Besides, the chances of locating missing people are also diminishing steadily which, amongst others, also suggests the trend of operations by organized crime.
As the Jharkhand government lacks any suitable mechanism for the purpose of even knowing the actual numbers and status of the missing children and women, the actual and exact numbers of the victims from Jharkhand is unknown even to the government. Therefore, the statistics used by the government is mostly based on police records or are at best borrowed from agencies that are not equipped or even sensitized enough to record all such cases. Besides, a hugely significant proportion of the victims are simply unawares of the condition of their children having “sent them for work” far away, or despite concern, they do not know whether to lodge any report or despite knowledge, they either do not have sufficient ‘courage’ or are precluded by policemen eager to keep the crime rate ‘low’. Besides, relatives of numerous victims or possible victims may themselves migrate away from their homes to other states for better employment prospects and do not report the matter with the Jharkhand police.
Many times such matters are not reported with Jharkhand Police as the person is victimized away from Jharkhand. Therefore, the figures are clearly not sufficient. This lack of appropriate statistics makes the solution even more unreachable, and thereby necessitates more urgent measures.
Further, even when such reports are lodged, they are often too ‘delayed’ for relief to many of the victims, though it could still be beneficial to apprehend the accused.
The magnitude of the problem of unlawful human trade, to which negligible attention is paid, and the consequent need for urgent and effective action could be understood by the fact that it is said to be the third largest illegal international trade after the drugs and the guns, operated and controlled by well-organized gangs of the Mafiaso.
This illegal activity is estimated to generate about Rs. 21,500 crore to Rs 32,000 crore of profit per year for the well-networked global traffickers. As per the estimates of the State Department of the United States, about 7,00,000 to 10,00,000 persons are trafficked per annum globally out of which 9% to 10% flow internationally and the majority other cases are traded domestically.
Another report says that when a woman is trafficked abroad to the USA, approximately Rs. 6,50,000/-, ie. 15,000 US dollar or more may be acquired through one woman annually. For this type of profit a whole network of people, ranging from criminals, bureaucrats, police etc. is involved. Everybody gets the share or commission. Some of them are bribed and that is why in spite of legal provisions against trafficking, this flesh trade is flourishing.
A concern provoking part of this amount is supposed to be generated at the cost of the SCs, the STs and other poor residents of Jharkhand. It would also be relevant and helpful to properly understand the reports that metros continue to report the largest number of missing children, along with the fact that, most of the missing children belong to the weakest economic sections which comprise of migrants from states like Jharkhand.
Source: goindocal.com
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