Najma from West Bengal and Padmini from Andhra Pradesh, both survivors of human trafficking had travelled to New Delhi in July 2018. The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 was passed in Lok Sabha that year but could not be taken up in Rajya Sabha and subsequently lapsed. Almost four years later in June 2022, both Najma and Padmini again met in Kolkata along with 24 other survivor leaders. All of them will travel to the national capital and press for the passage of the new version of the Trafficking Bill that is likely to be tabled in the upcoming session of the Parliament.
Draft of The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill 2021 was published by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in June 2021. There were 26 survivor-leaders from eight States who met in Kolkata earlier this week, under the banner of ILFAT (Indian Leadership Forum Against Trafficking) and discussed about the passage of the new Bill. “When we meet MPs in Delhi this time we are going to tell them that four years is a long time and for survivors who are struggling with issues like investigation of their cases and rehabilitation all this can be very painful. We will urge the lawmakers to see that the Bill turns into a law,” Najma said.
