Scheme For Combating Trafficking: Ujjawala

“Ujjawala”, a comprehensive scheme to combat human trafficking with special focus on children and women was launched by the Ministry of women And Child Development on 4th December, 2007 and is being implemented mainly through NGOs. The Scheme has five components — Prevention, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Re-Integration and Repatriation of trafficked victims for commercial sexual exploitation.

Some of the activities envisaged under the Scheme are:

• Formation of community vigilance groups, adolescents groups, awareness creation and preparation of IEC material, holding workshops, etc
• Safe withdrawal of victims from the place of exploitation
• Rehabilitation of victims by providing them safe shelter, basic amenities, medical care, legal aid, vocational training and income generation activities
• Re-integration of victims into society.
• Provide support to cross-border victims for their safe repatriation to their country of origin

Under the Scheme, assistance is provided to eligible organizations for undertaking the above activities. An outlay of Rs 10.00 crore was approved for the Scheme in 2011-12. During the year, 19 new projects have been sanctioned taking the total number of sanctioned projects to 166 which includes 83 Rehabilitation Homes. Funds were released/sanctioned for 64 projects during the year (upto 30.1.2012).

Training And Capacity Building

The Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with National Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development (NIPCCD) organizes trainings and workshops on issues related to trafficking for NGOs and other stakeholders.

Cross Border Trafficking

To facilitate operationalization of the provisions of the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking of Women and Children in Prostitution, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been finalized. At a Regional Task Force meeting held in April 2010, the Paper, prepared by India, for a uniform toll-free helpline for children was discussed. A meeting was held in Delhi where issues relating to setting up of help lines for women and children were discussed.