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Report on Consultative Meeting on Combating Human

Trafficking in Nagaland

The Nagaland State Social Welfare Board and the State Resource Centre for Women,

Nagaland, in collaboration with Arz, Goa, organized the “Consultative Meeting on

Combating Human Trafficking in Nagaland” on March 15, 2013 at the Capital Convention

Centre, Kohima.

The program was attended by representatives of various government and non-

government agencies in Nagaland, as well as the police, media, and the church. Shri Arun

Pandey (Director of Arz, Goa), Shri Kedar Dash (architect of Arz’s web portal), and Shri

Jayant Pawanikar (Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women and Child Development,

Maharashtra), who came from Goa and Maharashtra respectively, participated as resource

persons.

The program was chaired by Smt. Meneno V., Research Officer, SRCW, who opened

with a brief welcome note, and gave a brief introduction to Arz, Goa. According to a note

received from Arz, they are “a social work organization in Goa working towards combating

human trafficking.” Arz has been appointed as the “Nodal NGO” of the Integrated Anti-

Human Trafficking Unit, by the Goa Police. And in collaboration with the Department of

Women and Child Development, Goa, Arz is providing rehabilitation services to the inmates

of the Government State Protective Home in Goa. Arz was also awarded by the Government

of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, with the “Outstanding work done by an NGO in the

field of anti-human trafficking for the year 2011,” for their work on anti-human trafficking.

Smt. Dellirose M. Sakhrie, Additional Secretary to the Government of Nagaland,

Social Welfare Department delivered the keynote address. In her speech, she pointed out

that the dimension of human trafficking for commercial sex workers, bonded labour and child

labour is increasing day by day due to various socio-economic reasons. Smt. Sakhrie also

addressed the need for reviewing and reassessing the local situation with serious concern and

taking on a multi-sectoral approach to prevent the crime of human trafficking through active

participation of service providers like the government agencies, civil bodies and NGOs.

Session I:

After the keynote address, Shri Arun Pandey, the Director of Arz gave an

introduction to the consultative meeting, providing factual information on the present

scenario of human trafficking, indicating that human trafficking is on the rise in the whole of

India. He also discussed the cases of young Nagas who had been trafficked to Chennai, Goa,

and Rajasthan. He touched upon various issues faced by service providers, pointing out that

one of the major challenges for them is that human trafficking does not have any

geographical boundaries, rendering service providers helpless; in that, when it comes to

commercial sexual exploitation, the traffickers do not exploit victims in their native village or

the city of the victim. He also said that victims are usually trafficked to places where they do

not have any support system to protect them. Shri Pandey also indicated that traffickers are

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now targeting new places, specifically the Northeast, and adapting new modus operandi for

trafficking girls through advertisements in newspapers, ICT technology such as mobile

phones and facebook, using fake identity.

Shri Pandey shared that a series of consultation is being organized by Arz under the

banner of Stop Trafficking, and that the purpose of the consultation in different states is for

connecting service providers, government and non-government agencies, such as police,

social welfare department and NGOs within the state and from the destination state, to meet

and discuss about the phenomenon and share about the interventions; and also to share about

the challenges faced while providing services and to seek each other’s assistance to address

the challenges, and to discuss on the web portal, which is playing a key role in connecting the

service providers, and helping in service mobilization; and to share the best practices in

different states in the area of rescue, inquiry, rehabilitation and prosecution. Given all the

technicalities involved, Shri Pandey pointed out that there should be a nodal officer in each

department office, who would be responsible to look into the cases.

Arz’s web portal, www.stoptrafficking.in, provides information about the service

providers (NGOs, CWC, JJB, etc) in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It also assists in rescue of

trafficked persons. The Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI in its advisory on “missing children

and measures to prevent trafficking and trace the children” has advised the State Government

agencies to use the web portal. Shri Kedar Dash, the architect of the web portal, in his

introduction to the web portal, emphasized the need for networking and communication.

While pointing the need for registration on the web portal for reporting cases, he also

demonstrated how it can be used by service providers in reporting and tracking the status of

trafficked victims.

Shri Kedar Dash, architect of the web portal, www.stoptrafficking.in, explaining its usage to

participants at the consultative meeting. Also seen in the photo are Shri Arun Pandey (Director,

Arz, Goa), Shri Jayant Pawanikar (Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women and Child

Development, Maharashtra, and Smt. Dellirose M. Sakhrie, Additional Secretary to the

Government of Nagaland, Social Welfare Department.

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This was followed by a talk on the “Steps taken by the Government and Non-

Government agencies in Maharashtra in the rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of human

trafficking” by Shri Jayant Pawanikar, Officer on Special Duty, Department of Women

and Child Development, Maharashtra. He indicated that human trafficking, considered the

third largest business in the world, is on the verge of becoming the second largest business as

there is no need for a capital in the business. He also stated that with the increasing demand

for younger girls, the age at which people enter prostitution is now decreasing, citing an

example of an 11-year old girl who was trafficked and rescued at the age of 12. He

highlighted on some of the government programs on combating human trafficking in

Maharashtra, which include:

The Code of Conduct issued for the tourism sector, the police and the taxi drivers by

the External and Home Affairs and Tourism Department in Maharashtra.

Report received from Maharashtra Police revealed that 7500 trafficked girls were

rescued as per a collection of data from 6 years.

Community organization and mobilization, which includes SHGs, youth and

adolescents, village leaders, government employees

Training programs for police, probation officers, district officers, district advisory

committees, including constables.

Training programs for commercial sex workers

Sensitizing brothels

District collector and the police given judiciary powers to close brothels

With this factual backgrounder, Shri Pawanikar shared some of the expectations on

the source states from where victims are trafficked:

Follow up report of the repatriated victim

Sharing of information received from victim

Speedy vacancy for victims from Nagaland

Preventive measures to combat human trafficking

Appointment of nodal officers to be contacted

Convergence and coordination

Regular interaction with Government officials

It is worth mentioning, as informed by Shri Arun Pandey, that Maharashtra is the only

state that has 2 courts for the trial of traffickers.

A presentation by Shri Arun Pandey followed, with a brief sketch of the present

scenario in Goa. He stated that Goa is both a source and destination state, but that an

increasing number of trafficked victims are from outside the state, with the number of girls

from the Northeast on the rise, specifically, girls from Nagaland. The forms used for

trafficking girls ranges from hotels and lodges to flats, dance clubs, massage parlours, and

conferences where girls are hired to dance and entertain guests, after which they are duped

into commercial sexual exploitation.

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The interventions of Goa Government as highlighted by Shri Pandey include –

Rescue, Safety & Protection, Inquiry, Repatriation, Rehabilitation at Protective Homes, Non

Institutional Rehabilitation, and Prosecution. He further pointed out various roles of service

providers in the source states, such as:

Social Welfare/NGO

Address verification

Tracing family

Home Investigation Report

Arrangement of documents – Citizen Certificate, Birth Certificate, identity proof of

relatives.

Receiving victims

Escorting the victims

Services to the victims and family – Counselling, protection, rehabilitation, follow-up

Arranging for victims at the time of deposition of victims during the trial.

Sharing information about the trafficking.

Concluding his presentation, Mr. Pandey proposed various steps in order to augment

the fight against human trafficking, which include: knowledge about available services,

sharing of information about the traffickers, their networks and modus operandi and

collaboration, learning from each other’s work, and collaboration between the service

providers.

Session II:

After a quick tea break, Shri C.J.Ponraj, Principal Secretary to the Government of

Nagaland, Department of P & AR & Law and Justice presented an “Overview of the

Situation of Human Trafficking in Nagaland and the Challenges faced in the state.” He gave a

brief overview of the current realities across the state, and further enquired on whether or not

profiling of victims has been done in the state.

Panel 1:

The consultation continued with the first panel discussion on the topic “Role, work

done and challenges faced by the Government in the rehabilitation of trafficked victims/

prosecution of traffickers.” This panel discussion was moderated by Smt. Avinuo Kire,

Assistant State Coordinator, State Resource Centre for Women. The panellists, all from the

government sector, included the following panellists:

1. Smt. Dr. Temsüla, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women

2. Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Service Authority and

Registrar of Gauhati High Court

3. Smt. Renchumi Imti, Programme Officer, State Adoption Resource Centre, Integrated

Child Protection Scheme

4. Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems Analyst, National Informatics Centre, Nagaland.

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Smt. Dr. Temsüla, Chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women

averred that the realities in the state cannot be ignored. She further noted that the various

organizations which work in this sector, stop vtheir work at repatriation, but that the real job

begins when the victims go back home to their families after having gone through the

traumatic experience of being trafficked. She also emphasized on the need for disseminating

networking devices, proper networking of stakeholders, and the need for economic

rehabilitation.

The next panellist, Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal

Service Authority and Registrar of Gauhati High Court, informed that child trafficking in

the state is mostly confined to working in homes and commercial establishments such as

shops, restaurants and factories, and that Nagas are often ignorant of the fact that a child

working in their homes is illegal under Section ____ of the Child Labour (Prohibition and

Regulation) Act of 1986. One of the factors attributed to the common practice of child labour

in Nagaland is that children willingly live in homes, as they are able to go to school and pay

their tuition fees with their earnings.

Shri Lima also informed that the Nagaland Legal Services Authority provides free

legal services, and various other programs such as legal awareness programs, literacy

programs on child labour, Juvenile Justice Systems, and free panel lawyers starting from

police station, and free assistance to victims of human trafficking till such time comes when

the government is able to take over and provide assistance to the victims.

Resource persons of the first panel discussion (L-R): Shri Mayang Lima, Member Secretary,

Nagaland State Legal Services Authority & Registrar of Gauhati High Court; Smt. Renchumi Imti,

Programme Officer, State Adoption Resource Centre, Integrated Child Protection Scheme; Smt. Dr.

Temsüla, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women; Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems

Analyst, National Informatics Centre, Nagaland; & Smt. Avinuo Kire, Assistant State Coordinator,

SRCW who moderated the panel discussion.

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Shri Lima pointed out that when trafficked victims are rescued, proper counselling

and employment generation are vital, and yet there are no juvenile homes in any of the 11

districts of Nagaland. He therefore, recommended that NGOs should establish juvenile

homes. He also recommended that there should be a paid social worker and a police officer,

preferably women, in all police stations particularly in Dimapur, Kohima, and Mokokchung

where there are higher occurrences of human trafficking, and that the Police Department

should designate personnel for this.

Shri Lima also informed that there are legal literacy programmes for police units

involved in arresting human traffickers, child labour in order to ensure they are fully

equipped. He also recommended that if possible, there should be a separate department in the

state to tackle cases pertaining to human trafficking.

The next panellist, Smt. Renchumi Imti, Programme Officer, State Adoption

Resource Centre, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) presented on various cases

of child trafficking, and what the ICPS has done so far in terms of rescue and repatriation of

trafficked victims. In her presentation, she stated, “The Integrated Child Protection Scheme

(ICPS) is an umbrella scheme with a view to provide a safe and secure environment for the

overall development of children who are in need of care and protection as well as children in

conflict with law, including children in difficult circumstances.”

Smt. Imti explained that in order to ensure that the objectives and approaches of ICPS

are met, the ICPS has established state and districts bodies within a service delivery structure.

At the state level:

State Child Protection Society (SCPS)- For implementation of ICPS at the State Level

State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA)- To promote and regulate legal adoption

State Project Support Unit (SPSU)- Technical support unit to facilitate the

implementation of the scheme.

And at the district level, the following have been set up:

District Child Protection Society (DCPS)- For implementation of ICPS in all the 11

districts of Nagaland

Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)- to adjudicate

matters related to children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with

law.

Smt. Imti stated that over the years, Nagaland has become a source, destination and

transit region for human trafficking, and that there are cross-border trafficking, especially

from Myanmar and Bangladesh, as well as Interstate trafficking from Assam, Arunachal

Pradesh and some from Meghalaya. She pointed out that it is poverty which forces parents in

Naga-dominated areas of Myanmar to send their children to Nagaland in the hope that they

would get education, but that most children land up as domestic help. Drawing attention to

the reality in the home state, Smt. Imti informed that there were over 500 children working in

Kohima alone, and that the traffickers, who convince parents of better education for their

children, get anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per child.

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Smt. Imti also informed that the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organizations (ENPO)

reported that child trafficking from the backward districts of Nagaland had become a seriuous

concern because of poverty; and that at present, there are around 3,000 children, mostly girls,

working as domestic helps in and around Kohima, of whom, about 1,000 are from Mon

district alone.

Some highlights on rescue and repatriation done by the SCPS were also presented:

In 2009, 29 (twenty nine) children (all from Peren district) were rescued from a home in

Andhra Pradesh. These children had been through various physical, social, emotional and

mental traumas, and were rescued and repatriated to Nagaland. Smt. Imti also informed that

at present, the SCPS Nagaland is keeping close check on these children in co-ordination with

the District Administration, Police, Civil Societies, Village Council and schools.

In another case, in 2011, 6 Naga children from Peren district were rescued from Hope

Home, Kolkata, West Bengal. Of these children, one child was only 2 years old. She had

been given up by her mother as she could not afford to keep her. SCPS Nagaland coordinated

with Childline Kolkata. The officials of SCPS and the State Juvenile Police units went and

rescued the children and repatriated them back to their families. The DCPO, Peren along with

the counsellors and legal officers are in constant touch with these families and children. Smt.

Imti also informed that the SCPS is in the process of providing sponsorships and foster care

to some of these children. SCPS is also trying to initiate legal adoption so these that these

children can be placed in a safe home.

In the most recent case as reported in the local media, involving trafficking of

children from Nagaland, the Rajasthan Police rescued 49 children (which included 27 girls

from the northeast, aged between 4 and 14) from an illegal orphanage in Jaipur. The children

were kept confined in shelter homes which were not registered with government agencies. A

man claiming to be a pastor was arrested by police, officials said. Police detained a man

identified as Jacob John, who claims to be a pastor, the officer added. According to John, the

children are from poor families across the country, some of whom are from Punjab, Assam,

Manipur, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh.

In conclusion, Smt. Imti informed on the Child Line Services and the Track the Child

– Child Tracking System. Child Line, the toll-free number 1098, which is a 24-hour

telephone service run under the aegis of MWCD, available to all children in distress, or to

adults on behalf of children in distress. One of the basic objectives of Child Line is to respond

to the emergency needs of the children in difficulty and provide referral services. And Track

the Child – Child Tracking System, a web-enabled Child Protection Management information

System on all children accessing services to track missing children has been introduced in

Nagaland in collaboration with the NIC.

The ICPS/ SCPS presentation was followed by Smt. Swedesenuo Natso, Systems

Analyst at the National Informatics Centre, Nagaland, who gave a detailed presentation

on the “National Portal on Track Child for “Missing & Vulnerable Children.” Explaining the

Features of the Child Tracking System, she outlined the following:

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Profiling of Children of CCIs

Electronic filing of outcomes of “Counselling Sessions

Screening of children with special needs

Status tracking through automation of (Child Welfare Committee) CWCs / (Juvenile

Justice Board) JJBs

Child Health status tracking

Educational Competency Tracking

Vocational Needs

Integration of Child Adoption process

Smt. Natso further presented on how the various services for children can converge

together, such as Education; Health; Legal Justice and Rehabilitation; Development; Care,

Protection, Rescue & Rehabilitation; Child Helpline; Non Institutional Care; Child Protection

Services; Training & Capacity Building; Monitoring; and Vocational Training. Further, on

the Implementation Strategy, she outlined the following:

Formation of Central Project Team and declaration of “Mission Leader”

Formation of State Project Teams

Requirement analysis and customisation as per specifications worked out (if any) in

consultation with the State Project team

Roll Out Strategy for all states and UTs

Ms. Natso identified the stakeholders at the Central, State, District, Block, and Village

levels respectively. She then explained the eServices, which are specific facilities available

for Police Personnel and the WCD/Social Welfare for CCIs, CWCs, JJBs etc.

After this, the major challenges faced were described, which include, ensuring 100%

reporting of cases; capturing details of cases into a central data repository; matching of

“Missing” and “Recovered” Children/Persons; and computer literacy.

Ms Natso further presented a detailed chart titled: Workflow for “Children Tracking

System” – The SAFETY NET, which was followed by a proposal on the Steps to be taken to

meet the Challenges, and the Impact of ICT Interventions.

Following the first panel, Shri Elias Lotha, D.I.G., Nodal Officer of Human Rights

and Anti Human Trafficking, Nagaland Police presented a paper on “The Situation of

Human Trafficking in Nagaland; Steps Taken by the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU)

and challenges faced in the rescue of the trafficked victims.” Shri Lotha pointed out that

human trafficking in Nagaland is evident in three forms: Firstly, the young educated women

and men who are lured away by touts and agents of various companies with the assurance of

providing decent job avenues on payment of prescribed fees; secondly, young teenage

students who want to pursue higher studies, but whose families cannot afford the fees, and

are therefore lured with free education including free food and lodging; thirdly, children

belonging to poor families, who are brought from Assam, Burma borders, going as far as

Nepal and employed as domestic help, winding up as child labourers.

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Shri Lotha informed that Nagaland has Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) set

up in all the 11 districts, clubbed together with women police stations and supervised by

Additional S.P. of each district as the Nodal Officer. He further noted that the AHTUs are

working in close collaboration with the departments of Prosecution, Social Welfare, Health

and Family Welfare, and Labour and Employment. Shri Lotha also informed that the Police

Department organizes workshops on human trafficking on an annual basis, attended not only

by police officers, but also representatives from the State Legal Aid Authority, Prosecution,

Department of Social Welfare, Naga Mothers’ Association, Health and Family Welfare and

the Media fraternity participate to deliberate upon the issue of human trafficking, and that the

plans for action drawn from these workshops have been disseminated and handed down to all

the police district units for strict compliance.

Another feature of the Police Department as mentioned by Shri Lotha, is the setting

up of Local Intelligence Units (LIU) in all police stations, outposts and beat posts both in

rural and urban areas, specifically for collection of information related to human trafficking

cases, and that besides NGOs, village panchayats and church organizations are earnestly

taken into confidence for sharing of information related to human trafficking and child

labour. There are also various forms of literacy campaigns, one of which is through enrolling

police officers in the Anti-Human Trafficking course at IGNOU, and the other is through the

Police Training School Chumukedima, which has incorporated all relevant topics and

sections of the laws related to human trafficking in the indoor teaching syllabus since 2010.

Shri Lotha also shared the challenges faced in the rescue of trafficked victims, which

are – shortage of manpower, post rescue challenges, such as the lack of shelter homes,

counselling services, and employment opportunities. He further outlined the various relevant

legislations pertaining to human trafficking, and also provided statistics of human trafficking

cases around the world, including case studies. His presentation also included, the specific

roles of the police, prosecutors, and the NGOs in AHT were also identified, including the

protocols to be followed in rescuing trafficked victims in his presentation.

In his conclusion, Shri Elias affirmed the commitment of the Police Department, with

their slogan, “Arrest one trafficker – save hundreds of optionless girls/ women”; to check gulf

trafficking; achieving cross-sectoral synergy and their vow for Zero Tolerance to Trafficking;

and lastly, with the challenge, “Let us Protect the Child’s Rights and understand that rescue is

her right.”

Panel 2:

The second panel discussion followed, moderated by Smt. Gracy Ayee, State

Coordinator, State Resource Centre for Women on the topic, “Role, steps taken and

challenges faced by the NGOs in combating human trafficking and rehabilitation of trafficked

victims in Nagaland.” The panellists, all representatives from various NGOs, included the

following persons:

1. Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home

2. Smt. Asha, Director, Miqlat Ministry

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3. Smt. Moamenla, Director, Mothers’ Hope

4. Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General Secretary, Naga Students’ Federation; and

5. Sister Therese, Director, Assisi Centre for Integrated Development.

Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home opened his presentation

with the initiatives of the Prodigals’ Home, the first of which is a one-year project titled,

“Prevention of Child Trafficking in the Northeast India and Cross Border Anti Trafficking

Initiative” with Impulse NGO network as the nodal agency for northeast India; organizing of

awareness program on Child Trafficking at various levels; documentation of Missing

Children that has been appearing in the local dailies since 2007, which also led to a study

titled, “Study of Missing Children with Focus on Child Trafficking and Means to Tackle the

Same,” covering missing reports from January 2007 to July 2009, and amounting to 230

missing children. Some of the major findings of the study include:

Every 3 ½ days, a person in Nagaland is reportedly missing for one reason or the

other.

83% of the missing are under the age of 18.

Out of the total number of children reported missing, Naga children make up 26%,

whilst non-Naga children make up 74%.

Male and female ratio of the reported missing are under the age of 18 stands at

50% each.

Dimapur records the maximum reports of missing children at 68%.

47% of the missing children are natives of Assam.

35% of the reported missing children are yet to be found/ traced.

13% were reportedly abducted/ trafficked.

72% of the reported missing are of children serving as domestic help.

56% of the children’s employments as domestic help are reportedly contracted by

their parents.

45% of those bringing children for employment are total strangers to those

families accepting children for domestic help.

Shri Jamir also presented some case studies, as well as some of the current initiatives

of the Prodigals’ Home, which includes the Documentation of Missing Reports from 2011

Till Date. He also informed of the Child Line Dimapur (1098) which is a national 24-hour

toll free emergency phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection, a

Resource persons of the second panel discussion (L-R): Shri Moang Jamir, Assistant Director, Prodigals’ Home;

Smt. Asha, Director, Miqlat Ministry; Smt. Moamenla, Director, Mothers’ Hope; Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General

Secretary, Naga Students’ Federation; & Smt. Sister Therese, Director, Assisi Centre for Integrated Development.

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project of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. He explained that people can call

Child Line for medical assistance, shelter, missing children, trafficked children, protection

from abuse, or for emotional support and guidance. Shri Jamir further reported that the

number of cases tackled between April 2011 and September 2012 have been of 106 males

and 107 females (totalling 213). He also informed that the Short Stay Home for Women now

has 2 minors who are victims of trafficking.

Shri Jamir then shared on the challenges faced by NGOs in combating human

trafficking: that the homes sponsored by the Government have very limited resources and

services, and that funds are not released in time; that Childline is limited to only children, and

that it is not trafficking specific; that rescue is a challenge when there are no funds and the

systems are not in place; that in terms of rehabilitation, only a short stay home programme

cannot cater to the needs of trafficked children/ women, with no provision for trafficked male

victims; lack of resources and manpower leading to NGOs’ inability to do the role of

reintegration and repatriation of trafficked victims; and the absence or lack thereof when it

comes to doctors, clinical psychologists, psychiatrist, guards, and other facilities such as

medical care and legal aid in the state.

Shri Jamir highlighted the factors leading to human trafficking in Nagaland, such as

the high demand for domestic workers; ignorance about the issue of human trafficking (that

families do not realize that they are directly or indirectly involved in human trafficking); high

rate of runaway children; unemployment, which makes young people particularly women and

girls vulnerable to trafficking; unchecked influx of migrants; absence of mechanisms to

prevent traffickers at all levels; and the poor law and order situation, which paves the way for

traffickers to operate smoothly.

In his recommendations, he projected that there is a need for massive awareness

campaign on the issue of human trafficking and child labour; the need for projects on

prevention of trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking in

the vulnerable districts; strengthening special homes for children, JJBs, ICPS, CWCs and

ITPA in the state; the need to sensitize pastors and church leaders by legal units on the issue

of human trafficking and child rights, as the church is the best platform to create awareness;

to sensitize community leaders and recommend initiating vigilance committees at the village/

community levels; the need for more avenues for self-employment amongst the youth; and

finally, a more in-depth study into the issue of missing children.

Smt. Asha Sanchu, Director of the NBCC Women Department’s Miqlat Ministry

shared on the activities of Miqlat Ministry, and of the various cases they have been involved

in pertaining to human trafficking. She opined that the poor follow-up of trafficked and

rescued victims has been a drawback in this process. She emphasized on the need for non-

institutional rehabilitation of trafficked and rescued victims.

This was followed by Smt. Moamenla, Director of Mother’s Hope, who shared the

story of a 6 year old girl from Assam, who had been brought to a family in Kohima through a

middle person. The girl lived in this home for some years but at some point of time, she was

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abused by the driver who had also been employed in the house, after which she was brought

to Mothers’ Hope as she had become pregnant. This story being one among many, Smt.

Moamenla questioned if the girls that are working in our homes are safe. Drawing from her

vast experiences of working in the field, she emphasized on the need for networking in

combating human trafficking.

Shri Ejanthung Ngullie, General Secretary of the Naga Students’ Federation

(NSF) spoke on the need for both short-term and long-term measures to combat human

trafficking. He pointed out that the media can play a major role, and that strict vigils should

be kept around the border areas. He further spoke on the need for institutionalization of

government and non-government agencies, and for increased coordination. He pointed out

that Nagas are known for the cohesion and social support we render to one another in times

of need, and that we need to build on these traditional values and join hands in rescuing

Nagas who have been trafficked.

This was followed by a presentation by Smt. Sister Therese, Director of Assisi

Centre for Integrated Development. Sister Therese shared that she had been encountering

human trafficking, while not realizing that it is human trafficking. She described her call/

ministry in dealing with cases of human trafficking as a “call within the call,” in that she had

been called to serve the people of Nagaland, but that within this call, she found another call

which is to fight against the menace of human trafficking in Nagaland.

Smt. Therese shared some cases of human trafficking which she had encountered, and

informed that Assisi Centre has a Transit Shelter Home which provides basic counselling,

and that reintegration is done for all cases, including educational support of the victims. Smt.

Therese also shared some of the works done by Assisi Centre, which include a press

conference on stopping human trafficking, which was given on February 17th

and 18th

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which victims of human trafficking spoke; awareness programmes, and also sensitizing every

SHG member on the issue of human trafficking.

In her recommendations, Smt. Therese focused on the need for Child Domestic

Workers (CDWs) to be included under the Child Labour Laws; including domestic workers

under the Minimum Wages Act, placing them under proper salary scale; creating separate

welfare board for domestic workers; binding of Child Labour in letter and spirit; and the

challenge for all to learn to stop denying child rights.

Smt. Daisy Mezhür, Secretary, Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, summed up

the panel discussion, stating that we have heard of human trafficking from the theoretical as

well as the figurative perspectives, and also of real ground experiences. She pointed out that

the entire state of Nagaland has only one Short Stay Home. Informing that the core of the

State Resource Centre for Women is convergence, she called upon all present to come

together and to do something about human trafficking.

Following this, the Media Perspective on Human Trafficking was presented by Shri

Filip Sumi of the Morung Express, who referred to the media as the informational partners

of the government. He maintained that it is important for the media to include the help lines

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of AHTUs in their records. He also stressed that the media needs to highlight the stories of

survivors, and not their trauma, and if it is permissible, to cover court proceedings of cases.

To this, Shri Mayang Lima (Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Service Authority and

Registrar of Gauhati High Court), confirmed that coverage of court proceedings is indeed

permitted.

Shri Sumi further asserted that the media needs to be careful not to further victimize

those who have already been victims, by portraying them in such manner. He averred that

campaigns against human trafficking should be stepped up, and that the media, law enforcing

agencies and other relevant bodies should partner together in the fight against human

trafficking. He also maintained that the information published through the media should aim

at changing behaviour and not just the attitudes of its readers.

Smt. Juliana Medom, Planning Officer, State Resource Centre for Women

wrapped up the consultative meeting with a vote of thanks.

The consultative meeting came to a close, with comprehensive discussions carried out

successfully on the issue of combating human trafficking in Nagaland. It was clear from the

deliberations that looking at the issue from diverse angles, which included a vast array of

ground experiences both from the government as well as the non-government agencies from

various states helped in better understanding the complications involved in the trade. Some of

the main recommendations worth reiterating at this stage are, appointing nodal officers in all

relevant departments to oversee matters pertaining to human trafficking, creating awareness

and conscientizing the public in all spheres, setting the mechanisms in place, and the need for

better coordination, networking and communication amongst all relevant government and

non government agencies involved in combating human trafficking.

Meneno V.

Research Officer, SRCW

Some of the resource persons & participants at the close of the consultative meeting on combating human trafficking.