Just Rights for Children launches year-long nationwide initiative targeting rescue of one lakh trafficked children by 2030 agenda
New Delhi: In a major nationwide child protection initiative, Just Rights for Children (JRC) has launched the National Campaign Against Child Trafficking, aiming to transform 1.5 lakh villages into trafficking-free communities and rescue one lakh trafficked children over the next year.
The campaign was launched during the national consultation on “Ensuring a Child’s Rights, Potential, and Prosperity”, bringing together more than 250 partner organisations working across 36 States and Union Territories and 782 districts. The initiative seeks to strengthen India’s child protection ecosystem through coordinated action by government agencies, law enforcement, local self-governments, and civil society organisations.
The campaign will focus on identifying, rescuing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating children who have fallen victim to trafficking while intensifying efforts to investigate traffickers, dismantle trafficking networks, and ensure effective prosecution under existing laws.
Crime data underscores urgency
The campaign comes against the backdrop of worrying national crime statistics.
According to the Crime in India 2024 report, an average of six children are trafficked every day, while five children are pushed into child labour daily. Nearly 11 children go missing every hour, with a significant number eventually becoming victims of trafficking. Human trafficking remains the world’s third-largest organised crime, after illegal arms and narcotics trafficking.
Child labour in the informal economy continues to be one of the most common manifestations of child trafficking and exploitation.
Village-level prevention strategy
Unlike rescue-centric interventions alone, the campaign seeks to build preventive mechanisms at the grassroots level.
Awareness drives will be organised through Gram Sabhas, Panchayats and schools, supported by community outreach, pamphlets, posters and public education programmes. These initiatives will inform families about common trafficking methods, warning signs, legal safeguards and available support systems.
Special attention will be given to trafficking-prone source regions, transit corridors and border districts, while encouraging community vigilance to identify and report suspected trafficking cases.
Linking social protection with child safety
The initiative also aims to strengthen convergence with Central and State government welfare schemes to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking.
The campaign will work towards ensuring that vulnerable children remain enrolled in schools, receive social security benefits, and gain access to skill development programmes, thereby addressing some of the socio-economic factors that increase the risk of exploitation.
Stronger implementation of existing laws
Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children, said Parliament had already enacted some of the world’s strongest anti-trafficking laws, but emphasised that effective implementation now remains the critical challenge.
He said mandatory reporting, time-bound rescue operations, prompt investigation, speedy trials and comprehensive rehabilitation could significantly strengthen deterrence against organised trafficking networks and help India move towards eliminating child trafficking by 2030.
