Coordination must to curb gender violence, trafficking
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 25 2022:
FXB India Suraksha in partnership with The Asia Foundation convened the state sharing meeting in respect of Manipur on April 25 to discuss optimising screening and support services for victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP) .
The meeting brought together stakeholders engaged at the forefront of screening anti service delivery including law enforcement, government institutions, civil society partners, survivor networks, and subject experts, who emphasised on coordinated and holistic approach to curb such crimes.
The Asia Foundation, with support from the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, United States (US) Department of State conducted a country qualitative research study to help inform and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of screening and service provision to victims of trafficking in persons (TIP) and gender-based violence (GBV) in diverse contexts in three target countries namely India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The one-day meeting featured key officials and non-governmental stakeholders from Manipur.
Addressing the event, Nandita Baruah, country representative -India of The Asia Foundation said, "The research is designed in a victim centric approach and unpacks the intersectional nature between gender-based violence and trafficking in persons and underlines GBV as one of the critical push-factors for trafficking.
Informed by key informant interviews, stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, review of laws and secondary literature, the study throws light on the link between GBV and TIP and the gamut of violence that victims suffer".
FXB India CEO Suraksha Satya Prakash said, "This study is very important for two reasons - study is a breakthrough in space of GBV and TIP intersection.
We realised most victims suffered GBV which made them vulnerable to trafficking and hence researches like the one we undertook that focus on screening, become very important in making the overall process much more effective.
On the other hand, effective screening can help stringent conviction of the perpetrator and identification of correct services required for rehabilitation of the victim".
The research recommendations carrying out study, improving understanding of the link between TIP and GBV among frontline responders, mapping vulnerable areas and hotspots for human trafficking, formulating standard guidelines and protocols, strengthen law enforcement responses through training and capacity building, and building awareness among communities.
After the presentation of the research findings and the introduction of the both the tools, two panel discussions were held with eminent personalities from the field of legal and service provision - District Legal Services Authority, Imphal East secretary Arshad Saeed Shah, former president of Naga Women Union Manipur and former expert committee member of NCW Grace Thumra Shatsang, state program officer of department of social welfare Mala Lisham, former member of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights Keisham Pradip-kumar, Manipur Alliance for Child Rights convener and former MCPCR member Montu Ahanthem and chief functionary of Integrated Women and Child Development Centre Annie Mangsatabam.
FXBIS program officer A Wungreiso moderated the panel discussion sessions.
The Asian Foundation senior program officer Shurti Patil was also present at the event.
The panelists suggested making the legal aid service provision more efficient by proactive nature of the legal service providers, appropriate monitoring of foreign nationals while issuing of refugee card, mapping of women gone abroad for domestic work to find out their welfare and security and to see how many are trafficked and how many are really working as domestic workers, and need for proper budget allocation and state specific policy formulation as the way to curb gender based violence and human trafficking.
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