While information technology offered solutions to the problems created by Covid-19 pandemic like sustaining business, communication, governance, education, essential service and effective Covid management among others, it also provided inconspicuous means for human traffickers to blind and trap people, especially the illiterate, uneducated, uninformed, poor youth and children, mostly girls. Traditionally, traffickers used to target poor defenseless families and employ agents to traffic women and children through different deceitful tactics. The use of online platforms/medium such as fake website, dark web and social media to trap vulnerable women and children goes beyond geographic boundaries of a country, thus making the investigation and prosecution more complex and mind numbing. Usually, traffickers target very poor, uneducated, vulnerable persons who are in desperate need of money or job. People who aspire to get better education, opportunities or lead a far more comfortable life also fall victims of trafficking. 

Trafficking in person is a serious criminal act and violation of human rights. Almost all countries are affected by this illegal and inhuman act. Target 5.2, 8.7 and 16.2 of Sustainable Development Goals speak about eliminating trafficking of women and girls; ending modern slavery and human trafficking; and ending violence, abuse and trafficking of children respectively by 2030. 

The gains or progress made over last few decades on different fronts to achieve SDGs got a serious setback with many indicators even on a reverse trend like employment, education, poverty, etc. Covid-19 and eventual lock-down and shut-down wreaked havoc on people’s livelihood and Indian economy. Around 230 million Indians have been pushed into poverty during past year shows a report by Azim Premji University. Use of internet, social platforms, online games and different applications have grown exponentially post Covid. These twin factors (Poverty and increased exposure to online space) have created huge opportunities for human traffickers. 

Research conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows how victims are being targeted and recruited via social media and online dating platforms where personal information and details of people’s locations are readily available. The UNDOC document, focusing on the role of technology as a tool clearly states that technology can both enable and impede human trafficking. It says that the internet and digital platforms offer traffickers numerous tools to recruit, exploit, and control victims; organize their transport and accommodation; advertise victims and reach out to potential clients; communicate among perpetrators; and hide criminal proceeds – and all that with greater speed, cost-effectiveness and anonymity. There are fake websites, gaming applications, social networking sites, lottery or job advertisements on different portals, etc. which are used to lure and trap youth and children. Live chat and live video streaming options can also give the trafficker immediate contact and the opportunity to obtain personal information used to trick targeted victims.  

India had 755 million internet users in 2021 many of them are youth and children. Countries like India, a source, transit point and destination of human trafficking is going to face a herculean task of preventing and protecting trafficking in person, especially children who constitute the major part of trafficked victims. According to Crime in India Report 2020, 88% of victims of human trafficking in India were women and children, a reduction of 2% from 2018. However, children constitute 47% of the total victims of human trafficking (4709) as per the said report. Rajasthan (with 815 child victims tops the list of children victims of trafficking in India, followed by states like Delhi (202), Kerala (184), Odisha (159) and Jharkhand (114). A careful analysis of the cases of human trafficking in India as per the 2020 report reveals that sexual exploitation for prostitution, forced labor and domestic servitude have been three major purposes that drive this organized dangerous crime. The conviction rate is one of the lowest (10.6). Need not to reiterate that children trafficked undergo inhuman treatment, all kinds of abuse and exploitation and remain deprived of dignity, liberty and all kinds of rights conferred upon them.

Successive governments both at the Centre and in States have taken host of measures to stop trafficking in human beings. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India had written to states, Union Territories to expedite the setting up of new anti-human trafficking units (AHTUs) and upgrade the infrastructure of existing ones to ‘combat and prevent’ human trafficking. The Ministry has also set up an online monitoring portal for States and Union Territories to update and track the progress of AHTUs as well as for sharing best practices and success stories. Many civil society organisations are also engaged in prevention and response work, building awareness and capacities of communities and enforcement officials. As a result, there had been steady decline over last three years (2018-2020) in the incidences of trafficking in human beings in the country, but it is widely believed that the Covid-19 induced economic crisis, destitution, and cyber-crime must have reversed the trend.  

Teaching youth and children cyber safety and how to remain safe online is the need of the hour. We cannot stop using internet, but certainly, we can keep children safe online. Our experience of working on the issue suggest that apart from creating mass awareness among vulnerable group, we need to identify vulnerable families through local administration and NGOs, ensure their livelihood and protect them by linking them with different social protection schemes. We need to enhance community vigil and frequently track every vulnerable child at village level through trained Village/Panchayat Child Welfare and Protection Committees, youth clubs, teachers and local police. Setting up of AHTU in every district targeted search and rescue operation by AHTU/police and proper rehabilitation and reintegration of rescued victims through Individual Care Plan by Child Welfare Committee are highly essential. We have to ensure that the victims of trafficking are provided free legal aid and support services under the relevant schemes like Ujjawala. Strengthening investigation, prosecution and conviction should be specially looked into by the law enforcement agencies.   

We as a human race of 21st century can’t afford to see humans beings sold, slaved, abused, and used as commodity. UN, government, business organizations, donor agencies, voluntary organisations, community-based organisations, youth and women groups should come together and work on a mission mode. While celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav, let’s take a firm pledge to build large partnerships to stop this menace by 2030.

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