Seminar titled North East India Youth Summit focuses on human trafficking

GUWAHATI: The United Christian Forum North East Indiain in collaboration with HCF (Hope Charitable Foundation) organized a virtual seminar titled 'North East India Youth Summit' on Tuesday.

The seminar stressed on the problems of human trafficking and observed that the employment impact of COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the vulnerabilities of the youths of North East falling into the prey of human trafficking and therefore, called for concerted efforts of all stake holders to save the youths from the menace of human trafficking.

The webinar aimed to generate awareness among the youths about different aspects of human trafficking and the sources that potentially perpetrate this menace.

Sharing his expertise on the issue, president of United Christian Forum North East, Bishop Thomas Pulloppillil said, "Human trafficking is affecting the youth of our region and therefore, all stake holders should be united against this menace. We need to become more and more aware of this reality. North East region has become one of the most sought after hot spots for this modern slavery. We need to strategize our plans and take up this clarion call to save our youth."

The Chief Executive Officer, Social Justice and Development India, Aizawl, Mizoram, Jimmy Laltlanmawia while addressing the participants and the people in general said that kids along with youths of the region are also sent to Coimbatore from North East India and are forced to do unethical activities. He also said that there is no doubt that the youths of the region are vulnerable and everybody should take the responsibility to educate them.

Head of strategic development, International Justice Mission, Chennai Dr. M. Devasitham speaking as the resource person on cyber trafficking highlighted the components of human trafficking - the acts, the means and various purposes. He said that the purposes of human trafficking are labour, sex and organ sale.

He also said that social media platforms are used to lure youths through chatting and fraudulent calls. The typical cases of youth taken from North East to Siliguri and then to Delhi was an eye-opening narrative. Similarly, youth from North East is taken to various destinations in India and abroad. The international borders of North East make this work more lucrative.

The webinar was also addressed by several other resource persons all whom called for unified efforts to save the human resources from the potential danger of human trafficking.

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