Human trafficking is one of the largest illegal trade resulting in gross violation of rights of those who are trafficked,most particularly women and children. Most victims are from poor rural villages, who are lured by promises of good jobs, only to find themselves enslaved and sexual exploited. The need of an hour is to educate and train rural villages to create safer communities for women and children. These communities will understand rights and responsibilities in preventing violence.
Women and children from rural communities are the most vulnerable group in India, susceptible to violence and sexual exploitation or trafficking. This is a multi-faceted and deep-rooted problem which has become a vicious cycle. Poverty and desperation drive many unknowing girls into sexual exploitation. The lack of education and awareness in the community, coupled by gender discrimination and age-old traditions, means that girls do not know their rights and feel powerless in changing their fate.
To protect women and children against violence and sex trafficking, prevention is key. This project aims to work with 3,00,000 people from 250 villages in Maharashtra where there is a high prevalence of sexual exploitation. We will train district-level NGOs to impart knowledge to the village community - such as life skills, awareness of rights and responsibilities, spotting early signs of trafficking and laws related to violence against women.
This project is a preventive and self-sustaining solution. Through education and training, we can increase the awareness of rural villages on the severity of violence against women and children. By equipping the locals with knowledge and empowering them with the will to act against violence in their villages, they can protect girls from exploitation/trafficking. This measure nips the problem at its bud before exploitation even occurs, so that no girl will go through the traumatic experience.
