How should India tackle child trafficking?, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• In 2022, approximately 3,098 children under 18 were rescued in India from trafficking.
• Between April 2024 and March 2025, over 53,000 children were rescued from child labour, trafficking, and kidnapping across India.
• The conviction rate for trafficking offenses in India between 2018 and 2022 was only 4.8%.
• The Supreme Court has issued strict guidelines to prevent child trafficking, emphasizing the violation of children’s fundamental right to life.
• Section 143 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 defines and criminalizes trafficking for exploitation.

Detailed Insights:

• Child trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, or harboring of a child for exploitation, including physical, sexual, and forced labor.
• The Indian Constitution provides protection to children via Articles 23 and 24, prohibiting human trafficking, forced labor, and hazardous employment.
• The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, addresses trafficking for sexual exploitation, while the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, focuses on care and rehabilitation.
• The POCSO Act, 2012, defines offenses related to sexual assault and child pornography, prescribing stringent punishments and establishing fast track courts for rapid trials.
• Socio-economic factors like poverty, unemployment, and family breakdown contribute to children's vulnerability to trafficking, exacerbated by social media exploitation.
• Effective strategies to combat child trafficking include protecting children's rights, increasing conviction rates to deter offenders, and strengthening Union-State coordination.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Child Trafficking: Recruiting, transporting, or harboring a child for exploitation.
• Exploitation: Includes physical and sexual abuse, slavery, servitude, and forced organ removal.
• POCSO Act, 2012: Legislation addressing sexual offenses against children with stringent punishments.