O U R L O C A T I O N S

I N D I A

About India

Trafficking in India sees the exploitation of both Indian and foreign nationals, with debt bondage being particularly prevalent (USDOS, 2019: 239). Debt bondage can be passed down from parent to child and results in the labour exploitation of thousands working in sectors such as agriculture, brick kilns, rice mills, embroidery factories, and stone quarries (ibid). Traffickers also recruit children in India, there has been reports of children working in labor agriculture; construction; domestic service; garment, steel, and textile industries, including tanneries and zari factories; begging; biscuit factories; carpet making; floriculture; fish and ginger farms; glass manufacturing; pickling; ship breaking; and wire manufacturing for underground cables (ibid). Research suggests that the most prevalent type of sexual exploitation is the exploitation of young girls and women from marginalized and economically disadvantaged groups, for example Dalits (Joffers et al., 2008: 02).

Programs

PREVENTION

Global Family's education program, Jal Vihar, is located in a railroad slum community that has now grown to include a majority of the children from the slum. Parent-teacher meetings, seminars and special meetings are conducted to bring awareness around literacy, health hygiene, and financial management. Local leaders send children to school, gather people for public meetings, supply food to the needy, and coordinate other community works. Once children graduate, they are able to enrol in the formal government school. This is a tremendous success in a community where parents were initially very hesitant to send children to school as they needed them to earn daily wages.

REHABILITATION

Global Family India runs a licensed shelter (25 beds) for young girls who have been trafficked, raped, and systematically abused. We conduct background checks and investigations and advocates upon victim's behalf in the court. These children are given medical help, counselling, non-formal education, legal help, prevention training and protection. Global Family has helped the government trace traffickers who were sent to prison. In addition, most of the girls we serve receive compensation for child labor and victim’s compensation from the government. To date, this shelter has cared for over 500 young girls with a 95% success rate of family restoration.