Human trafficking is too complex to fight in one single way: Kolkata American Center Director

"The United States is working together with India and with the state governments of West Bengal, the Northeast and Eastern India, partnering together to find ways to make potential victims of human trafficking know of the danger and to hopefully eradicate trafficking from the world," she said at a programme hosted by the U.S. Consulate General Kolkata to observe World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at the American Center, which is the US public affairs office in Kolkata.

Besides Monica Shie, West Bengal Women and Child Development and Welfare Minister Shashi Panja and youth leaders from U.S., India, Nepal and Bangladesh were present at the initiative to curb the global menace of human trafficking.

The theme for this year is, 'CALL YOUR GOVERNMENT TO ACTION.'

The event kick-started with a short public information video.

Shie said: "The UN has designated the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness about its victims and the protection of their rights. United States in India has committed to provide leadership on issues of shared interest and this is one of them, combating trafficking."

Globally estimated 27 million women, men, girls and boys are currently victims of human trafficking. Half of these victims are under 18 years of age.

About 15 million child marriages, 12 million child labour and 8 thousand humans were trafficked every year, according to the report.

Shie remarked, "We need to support Government through partnerships and multi prompt approaches. The problem is too complex to address in any one single way."

West Bengal's Swayamsiddha Campaign has received special mention from the UN. It is a pilot project in the South 24 Parganas District by West Bengal police which is focusing to eliminate human trafficking from the grassroots level.

Eight short films were screened to manifest the struggles of the trafficked survivors.

Films like Inner Eye, Lucky, My Journey, My Story, New Daughter's Life, Not Even A Single Penny, Rescue, Telling the Truth depicted the harsh truth on how girls were coerced to have physical relations with a random number of men.

Several others were enforced to work as a slave for years which never comes to a halt.

Gender biased discrimination  in the patriarchal society  underscores the importance that youth can play in prevention efforts.

Youth activist from U.S.,India, Nepal and Bangladesh were united in the discussion on how they would bring about a change to eradicate the human trafficking network and also a change to remove the social evil that resides in the mindsets of the people.

West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja said it is praiseworthy that youngsters are coming up with their own choice to fight against the gender biased society, forced slavery and forced marriages.

She said the government is doing its bit through various initiatives like Kanyashree and Rupashree Prakalpa which aim to provide financial assistance for delayed marriages and better education.

Panja quoted, "To work against trafficking let it not be one day, let it be all the days of the year that we will continue to talk and fight against human trafficking."

Monica Shie concluded, "So we are recognising the world as the National Anti-trafficking Day because we know its a problem globally, its a problem in our community, its the problem all across the world."

(Reporting by Subhashish Roy, Images by Soumo Das)