Seminar on ‘combating child trafficking’ held in Manipur

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Aug. 25 (EMN): A seminar on ‘combating child trafficking’ was held on Thursday at the Conference Hall of DC’s Office of Churachandpur district in commemoration of World Day against Human Trafficking under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM).

The event was organised by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) with State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) and district administration of Churachandpur.

Speaking as a resource person during the seminar, Additional SP Hasby Haokip stated that the number of trafficking victims is much higher in reality as many go unreported from every nook and corner of Churachandpur. ‘As far as possible, trafficking was prevented, but there are instances where we have to rescue trafficked persons,’ she said.

Children who were recruited as child soldiers and/or being kept in different orphanage homes for education purposes are not seen as child trafficking by the parents, she added.

Apart from child trafficking, substance abuse and drug addiction is a major problem in Churachandpur, she said while seeking cooperation of all for a collective fight against the menace of drug abuse, as drugs have penetrated even class 3 students.

ADC Khaikhopau Ngaihte stated that traffickers prey on unguarded families by making false promises of a new job, augmented income, better living conditions and financial support. Given the complex nature of the problem, there seems no simple solution because many of the cases are not even reported to the concerned authority, he added.

He also encouraged the locals to come out and report such cases. He said that the informers’ identity will not be revealed.