Speaker / Gateway

If I’m a woman or child likely to be trafficked, I have a Constitutional Right not to be trafficked! And you, as citizens of this country, immaterial of your designation or portfolio held, have a Constitutional Duty to ensure that I’m not trafficked,” were the impactful words with which Dr. P. M. Nair started his address to the Club, instantly grabbing our attention and involving our emotional participation, through his intense and hard-hitting discussion, on the horrors of human trafficking in women and children in India and the need for a more active outlook for its termination.

And what day would have been more appropriate a day for this discussion than ‘Women’s Day’ that is celebrated worldwide on the 8th of March. Dr. P. M Nair has had a meritorious career with over a decade in the CBI; several years in the CRPF during which time he was responsible for steering ahead the Rajiv Gandhi assassination investigation as also investigations connected with terrorist attacks. He also spent a great deal of time at the National Human Rights Commission, focusing his energies and endeavours doing away with the social evil human trafficking, especially in women and children.

The moment Dr. P M Nair took the stage and addressed the Club, we knew he embodied immense passion and a sense of urgency towards working this heinous evil out of society. “On Women’s Day I greet all the women who have no time for themselves but give all their time to others. I salute womanhood through this opportunity. Article 23 in the Constitution of India says trafficking in every form is prohibited. The Constitution doesn’t speak of any other crime meaning that the makers of the Constitution envisaged the significance of prohibiting trafficking. What is the Constitution of India? It starts with the words ‘we the people’, meaning it is a mandate that we have given ourselves. Are we upholding that constitutional mandate? How many of us are aware of or actually following this mandate? If we aren’t, we need to start now!”

“Trafficking takes numerous forms and is a huge calamity. When it comes to trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation, these thrive under various titles given to the same – including ‘sex-tourism’ or ‘surrogacy’, ‘façade of massage parlours’, escort services, dance bars, business promotions, etc. Trafficking comprises a basket of numerous and continuous crimes – for the victims of this trade, the exploitation never stops, even after the girls are rescued! When a woman is raped in a bus or on the streets we make a huge noise, as we rightly should, but when a woman is being exploited for days in massage parlours, why are we silent?

It’s time we realize that trafficking is the crass commercialization of human beings, akin to human slavery. We need to demystify trafficking from prostitution – the latter is done by consent, the former by force. However, if the consent is taken by lure or deception, it still amounts to trafficking.” These days children are being ‘e-trafficked’ – take a case in point, recently in Bangalore the parents of two children aged nine and ten, put them up on the internet! Missing children is a major issue in the country. During my stint with the National Human Rights Commission (New Delhi), we were shocked by the statistics, to find that on an average 44,000 children are reported missing yearly!

Of these, 11,000 children aren’t even able to be traced! These are the children in the exploitation trade. The story doesn’t stop here because no one who is in a position of power to make a real difference is really bothered about this calamity – neither government nor politicians. Let us not believe in the myth anymore that trafficking is a result of poverty. It is not. It is the vulnerability quotients or factors that nourish this monster. These vulnerability factors include lack of awareness, lack of law enforcement, lack of community awareness, etc. How many of us Rotarians engrossed in Dr. Nair’s talks Question posed by Rtn. Sitaram Shah on Human Trafficking supervise what our children are doing online? There are constant traffickers on the prowl in the digital domain now! Parents need to be very careful. Human Trafficking to me is the largest kind of trafficking in India, even bigger than arms trafficking and drugs trafficking. It is the largest money spinner.

Problems are plenty but we have the solutions too and the solution lies within us. We need to have a holistic approach to fight trafficking. Not just words but action is required. We are aware that the Rotary Club of Bombay has made a tremendous difference in fighting Polio. You have the perfect combination of potential, capability and commitment within yourselves. The ‘Act of Omission’ is one of India’s major issues, where even those in authority and power, remain passive to crimes happening in front of them. They need to be rudely awoken and we can do that as collective and aware citizens. This is the pressure that is needed to take things forward. We need to get our police into action. How can we make a difference to ending human trafficking? If everyone takes a decision that we will not patronize child pornography, then the child pornographers will have to shut shop. Similarly, if I say my sister is not for sale, how can I violate anyone else’s sister?

That’s the question we have to ask ourselves and that’s the philosophy we need to inculcate within. That’s how we will walk the talk. We have to make our systems function. Please identify appropriate NGOs and individuals across the country, who are dedicated to ending human trafficking. Let’s take it step-by-step and start with making just one village trafficking-free. I have started an AHD Club or an ‘Anti Human Trafficking Club’ and I urge you to join me in my endeavor to end trafficking by educating our children, empowering our youth how to respect women’s rights and children’s rights. We have also started Skilling Missions with the Police to sensitize them to this issue and we look forward to your time and support in this endeavor,” he concluded.