The Vigil India Movement organized a National Seminar on “Combating Human Trafficking and Protecting Human Dignity: Role of People’s Movements” on Saturday the 20th September 2014 at the Osmania University Center for the International Programme, Hyderabad. The Seminar was organized in conjunction with the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award – 2014. The concept of the programme was to critically analyze human trafficking in India and its impact in human society. Around 72 participants from various backgrounds attended the programme in which 20 of them were victims of human trafficking.
Adv. K. Pratap Reddy, President, VIM delivered a presidential remarks at the beginning of the consultation. In his address, Adv. Pratap Reddy briefed about the Vigil India Movement and its role in protecting and promoting human rights at the grassroots level in India and also explained why the seminar was organized at Hyderabad. Dr. Malthews George Chunakara, Hon. Director, VIM took a session comprising of two topics i.e. Human Rights and Human Dignity-Contemporary Challenges and Human Trafficking: A Modern Slavery and Threat to Human Security. Dr. Mathews briefed that the Dignity of Human being is an essential concept in the society. Human beings should be able to lead a life in a society without any discrimination. The purpose of pursuing and establishing civil, political, economic and social rights is to preserve and promote human dignity, in all its aspects and dimensions. In the second part of his presentation, Dr. Mathews elaborated the Modern Slavery of Human Trafficking at the international level and how the migrants are forced and victimised to various forms of abuse, torture, exploitation and trafficking. As though the UN mechanism is working out to curb the situation, trafficking is yet to be vanished.
Mr. Jayasingh Thomas, Manager, Chaithanya Mahila Mandali explained about the Human Trafficking and Sexual exploitation in India particularly in Hyderabad. He also briefed how his NGO is working with the victims to promote human dignity among the commercial sex workers and also rehabilitating the victims. Mt. Umapathi, former IPS officer took a session on Combating Human Trafficking: Role of People’s Movements. He has explained various models working with NGOs to control human trafficking in Andhra Pradesh and also explained the government role in promoting human rights particularly taking stringent action against traffickers in Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. Further Justice Mr. B. Prakash Rao, Former acting Justice, High Court of India briefed about the Judicial Role in combating human trafficking.
Mrs. Bandari Jayamma and her collegues, who were victims of human trafficking, shared their stories how they were trapped to commercial sex work and how they were relieved and rehabilitated by the Chaithanya Mahila Mandali. While describing their stories, they most of them were very emotional and narrated the amount of torture and pain they have experienced in their life as commercial sex workers.
At the conclusion, the participants resolved to create awareness among the society about trafficking and urged all the NGOs at national level and at grassroots level to support the victims of trafficking as human being and strive to promote and protect the rights of the every human being irrespective of caste, color, race and profession.
Dr. J.A. Oliver, Chancellor, SHIATS University played a significant role in organising the seminar at Hyderabad. With his assistance the Vigil India staff, Mr. John VM Juliana coordinated the programme at Hyderabad.
+by+Mr.+Balraj+Puri+and+Dr.+C+T+Kurian.jpg)
