SOCIO-LEGAL ANALYSIS OF POLICY FRAMEWORK, IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS AND IMPACT OF CHILD TRAFFICKING

Trafficking in children is regarded as serious violations of human rights of children worldwide;
basic rights to life, dignity, education and health, development are denied and taken away from
children who are trafficked. The problem of child trafficking, a major socio-legal issue, is
rampant in India due to the prevalence of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, migration, gender
discrimination, and ignorance. Trafficked children are exploited through different forms of
trafficking, such as: forced labour; sexual exploitation; begging; organ trade; forced marriage;
illegal adoptions; and for criminal purposes. There has been an increasing presence of
organized crime in the field of child trafficking; technology and the internet have also
contributed to the growing complexity of the trafficking networks in India.The study analyses
child trafficking in India from an interdisciplinary perspective – i.e. legal dimension;
sociological dimension; and institutional dimension. The study looks at the constitutional
provisions and various national laws that exist (such as, but not limited to, the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act; Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act; Juvenile Justice Act; and
constitutional protections from Child Trafficking [Articles 23 and 24]); as well as National
Government Schemes/programmes and policies designed to prevent trafficking and to support
child victims.In addition to the different laws and policies related to Child Trafficking, the
study also reviews various Government Rehabilitation Programmes, i.e. the Ujjwala Scheme;
Childline Services; as well as the roles of State Governments and Non-Government