VIJAYAWADA: Ensuring that girl children do not fall victim to human trafficking and guaranteeing their safety through strict preventive measures is the government’s primary goal, said A Suryakumari, Secretary of the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare.
Speaking at a regional-level “Training of Trainers on Prevention of Human Trafficking and Girl Child Safety” programme held at Jade Suites Hotel near Benz Circle on Tuesday, she stressed that preventive action before problems arise yields better results than seeking solutions afterward.
She noted that the government has introduced several schemes for child protection and women’s empowerment, giving them top priority. To coordinate these schemes, District Mission Coordinators have been appointed as nodal officers in every district.
Youth groups called ‘Yuva’ and girls’ groups called ‘Sakhi’ have been formed, covering nearly 23 lakh children across the state, with the aim of achieving 100 percent coverage including government and private schools, residential institutions, and children.
The Secretary expressed concern that changes in family systems and the influence of social media pose risks of young people being misled. She highlighted that emergency services are available through the toll-free number 112 and one-stop centres.
Prevention, she reiterated, is the government’s main objective, with Andhra Pradesh striving to be a model state in child safety and women’s empowerment.
Padma Shri awardee and Prajwala NGO founder Sunitha Krishnan, who also addressed the programme, described the plight of trafficking victims. She said 25–30 percent of girls trapped in trafficking suffer from HIV and face severe physical and psychological problems. Rehabilitation into normal life is extremely difficult, as evidenced by experiences in shelter homes.
She noted that around 30 lakh people fall prey to trafficking annually, of whom 45 percent are children. She recalled that AP was the first State in the country to implement an anti-trafficking policy in 2003 and appreciated the support being extended under the leadership of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.