Awareness meet on human trafficking held by the Assam Centre for Rural Development
A Correspondent
TANGLA: An awareness and sensitization meeting on human trafficking was held on Sunday at Attrekhat Tea Estate Community Hall near Dimakuchi in Udalguri district. The day-long event was organized by the Assam Centre for Rural Development (ACRD), an NGO working on the issues of trafficking, child rights, women empowerment, disability and livelihood in Assam.
The NGO has been holding community awareness meets in remote villages of Baksa and Udalguri where trafficking is rampant. The meet was attended by police, district administration, community members, ASHA, Anganwadi workers and community leaders among others.
“Our NGO is taking small steps to prevent human trafficking in these areas by raising awareness among the community, especially tea-garden communities, and among women and girls who are often the targets of trafficking. They are lured by agents who promise the parents/families of these girls and women better jobs, good marriage and a better life. They are then taken to places like Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Gujarat where they are exploited. Unfortunately, the parents do not realize that their daughters have been trafficked. We are trying to raise awareness among people so that trafficking can be prevented,” said Prerna Changkakati, Executive Director, Assam Centre for Rural Development.
“It is important to educate our children, and the parents should ensure their children go to schools. There is lack of awareness about health among the women in the tea garden communities, and therefore only when we address all these issues can we stop the malice of trafficking,” said Prabhat Das Panika, central member, All Assam Advasi Students Association (AAASA). The meet was also attended by Anil Sonowal, Outpost in-charge, Khagrabari; Kalpana Sharma, vice-president, Assam Gorkha Samiti, and Nipen Bhurtel, general secretary of Gorkha Dimakuchi Anchalik. More than 150 people from the nearby villages of Attrekhat TE attended the awareness meeting.
Also read: Assam news