Human Trafficking in India: Policy Gaps and Grassroots Solutions for Change

Abstract

: According to social media, reports and news channels, widespread human trafficking is one of the major issues in today’s time. The target group are mainly young girls and women who disappear more than men. One of the reasons for the increase in human trafficking in India is poverty. In addition to trafficking or smuggling for prostitution, ladies and girls also are sold and offered into forced marriages, in girls' deficit areas. Many social activists and NGOs are actively involved in numerous activities in addition to government implementation, in particular for the training and higher education of people at the community level and for the protection of the endangered class of society. The recent legislative amendment to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to define the term 'human trafficking' also shows a lack of seriousness on the part of the government. It is argued that the recent amendment is not sufficient to combat trafficking and a comprehensive legal reform is required to synergize different legislations and institutional support mechanisms. The paper begins with the definition of human trafficking navigating through the causes of trafficking, legal system, case studies and preventive measures emphasizing particularly on Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA) and IPC 370