Prevention and Protection of Tribal Youth from Trafficking

The current status and future of tribal children and youth, especially from remote villages of Jharkhand, is pathetic and holds no hope. Lack of access and poor quality education denies children and youth from acquiring reasonable academic qualifications. There are no opportunities for livelihood in their villages, neither are they qualified for the few available jobs in nearby towns and cities. To meet basic needs is a struggle. To add to this dilemma, Tribal communities are constantly losing their land to industries. Their income from farming has taken a nose dive.

Human trafficking, particularly that of underage tribal girls shipped out to work as domestic helps in big cities has been a consequence. Recent reports indicate a more heinous level of exploitation where these trafficked girls, are impregnated and made to bear children so that these babies could be sold off. Lack of basic education, traditional beliefs/practices and the girls having no say in the matter contributes to this. Families are driven to a life of resignation, struggling for survival. In this scenario, when an outside agent walks in offering a job and money for their daughter and sons in a far away, unknown world, they are gullible and fall for it.

This project will address the root causes of poverty leading to trafficking and abuse of hapless children/youth. The project seeks to provide education from a holistic perspective to bring them out of this complicated web of poverty and misery to transform their lives with hope for a decent and dignified future. The project will have a 3 pronged approach.

1. Children up to the age of 14 will receive relevant and quality primary education in local government schools according to the provisions of the Right To Education Act.

2. Children/youth in the 15 to 20 age group will be provided with skills training to process non-timber forest products and other agricultural products to enhance their value. Their entrepreneurial skills will be unleashed and they will use online marketing channels to earn a decent living.

3. The Tribal communities will be mobilized and their awareness raised to see the value of their children and protect them from Outside trafficking agents. The communities will demand support from authorities to put an end to trafficking.

The project will cover 20 tribal villages and will directly benefit 2,500 children/youth over a 3 year period as well as many others in the years to come.

Direct linkages will be established between service providers and the community groups, such that these linkages will continue even after the project period is over. The community will also be involved in advocacy and mobilizing resources. Some of the measurable Results after the 3 year project period will be:

• School enrollment rate and participation rate will be above 95% (up from the present 60%) with quality Learning

• The community will be able to provide relevant, livelihood skills to youth to add value and market locally available materials.

• The established children and youth clubs will continue to function even after the project is over

• The understanding and practice of child rights, especially child participation, will continue

• Trafficking and abuse of children/youth will be challenged by the community and greatly reduce with support from the duty bearers. This awareness and control will spread to the neighbouring villages.

• The SHGs, CLAs and Community Watch Groups will continue their activities.

The capacity of the community groups, especially the Community Watch Groups will be strengthened during the 3 year project period in such a way that they can continue to approach duty bearers and claim their entitlements.