Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns in the country have displaced a large number of workforces from their workplaces and their Jobs. The already vulnerable population are facing the brunt of Covid-19 health impacts along with educational halt for children and the financial instability of the families.

After a long spell of lockdowns, the vulnerable people started moving out of their houses in search of work. Traffickers have exploited the situation by targeting desperate families. Young children and women are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes for a better life but then exploited and forced to work or sold. Traffickers make more money from the loss of these poor peoples who lost their work.

The Nation is under the clutches of Covid-19 and at the same time the risk of Human Trafficking has amplified four times then the Pre -Covid -19 period. At this juncture, only Awareness & Sensitization can control the cases of Human Trafficking in the country. Seeing the Importance of this aspect Caritas India Swaraksha AHT Program and Partner DSWS Lucknow jointly organized an awareness and sensitize for the staff of the State Transport Department.

The State Transport Services of Uttar Pradesh, the Key Stakeholders of this program is one of the biggest transportation services in the country. Every day thousands of buses move from the Indo-Nepal border Districts to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab & other states carrying the passengers. Most of these buses Origin from the border district of the state which is connected to Nepal & Bihar. The Connectivity of the buses from these areas to different States had simplified the modus operandi of Perpetrator’s which turns to be very lucrative if they succeed in sending the victims to the destination without any interception. For breaking this modus operandi of the Traffickers, it is very essential to sensitize and create awareness among the Bus Drivers & Conductors moving from the source to destination. Transport Department is one of the Major Stakeholders Under Swaraksha AHT Program who needs to be aware and sensitized frequently for their involvement in addressing the issue of Human trafficking.

In the series of Program with the Transport  Department, all the Partners of Swaraksha AHT Program are currently doing the Awareness & Sensitization for these staff so that they can also play their role in combatting Human Trafficking. Before this Program in Lucknow, more than fifty Participants attended & learned Human trafficking-related aspects & were sensitized to act whenever they come across any case of HT.   Including the first program around Hundred & fifty Staff of UPSRTC participated in this Awareness & Sensitization  Program in Lucknow from two Major Inter-State Bus Terminal Alambagh & Kaiserbagh. Bus Drivers & Conductors along with Senior officials were trained on the Human trafficking post-Covid Trends.

Staff updated the participants on the current situation of Human Trafficking cases. The participants were oriented with the human trafficking scenario, its causes, implications, the modus operandi and the consequences. Besides the Human trafficking trends, the data was also shared with the participants so that they should know the facts of this crime. Participants learnt on their Role & Responsibility as the Key Stakeholder of Swaraksha AHT Program to address the issue. In this session, they learnt to identify any suspected while commuting or at any place where they found any victim or perpetrator travelling on their bus. In this kind of situation, they need to be very agile & watch the expressions & body language of the suspected victims. Once they are assured after an enquiry that this is the case of Trafficking they need to report the case to Emergency helpline numbers and try to handle it till the Police Intervene the case. In this way, they can save the Victims from being Trafficked. All Drivers & Conductors travelling from border areas to other states like Delhi & Haryana were requested to pay special attention to the suspected passengers as they can help the individual. Every Staff was oriented on the Human Trafficking issues and asked to sensitize others who are travelling to Inter-state or within the state from border areas.

Caritas India Staff shared about the Organization profile and the issues of Safe Migration & Human Trafficking. Sharing about the Rescue cases, it was informed that covid-19 is the crucial time for everyone and this is an opportunity for the perpetrator to make more money by luring the poor and needy women and youth for highly paid work. Importance of Safe migration and the link between unsafe migration and human trafficking was explained.

A short video clipping on Human Trafficking was screened with all the participants showcasing how traffickers or agents lure the needy person and sell them into the hands of Trafficker.

Mr. DK Garg, Assistant Regional Manager State Transport corporation encouraged the Bus Drivers & Conductors to play their role and responsibility if they came across any kind of suspected movement in their busses. He said that your little support will save the lives of many people which itself is a big reward. He appreciated Caritas India & Partners efforts to save the lives of Vulnerable & Innocent Peoples who in need of money fall prey of Human trafficking.

Neeraj Rajput, a bus conductor attending the orientation assured that whenever he will come across this kind of incidence, he will surely report the case to save the life of the victim. He also suggested to periodically conduct the awareness meetings to sensitize the people and collaborate better.