Anti Human Trafficking & Safe Migration

SWARKSHA Cross Border Anti Human Trafficking Program was being implemented in Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. The program covers Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Beharaich districts in U.P. and Nepalganj district in Nepal. The partners are Lucknow Diocese, Gorakhpur Diocese, DEHAT and Shakti Samuha. The project reached 37,317 in the intervention areas to arrest trafficking and related vulnerabilities.

Surokhit Shaishav aimed to work towards the abolition of child labour in all its forms in the state of West Bengal by establishing effective child protection systems and promoting children’s rights to education, inclusive development, and social participation. The program closely engaged with the government and other key stakeholders in West Bengal. In the second phase, implemented across three states — West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam — the project covered 12 districts, 392 villages, and reached 381,471 people. The project was completed in March 2024.

Internal migration, both within states and across state borders in India, plays a vital role in improving the socio-economic status of households and contributes to the development of both the regions migrants move to and those they leave behind. Despite their significant contribution to the socio-economic growth of host states, migrant workers are often deprived of their rights, denied decent wages, proper living conditions, and formal recognition as workers. There is also a lack of government policies that adequately promote and protect their wellbeing. To address these challenges, the project worked with target groups to create awareness, provide services through Migrant Resource Centres and facilitation centres, identify skill gaps, enhance skills to create employment opportunities, and ensure safe migration through a Corridor Approach. The initiative also focused on building networks with government agencies, civil society organisations, and service providers for referrals and policy advocacy. Implemented across three states, the project reached a total of 12,360 people and concluded in March 2024.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, migrant workers were among the most affected, as they faced significant challenges in accessing health facilities and services. In response, Caritas India developed a program to support migrant workers with essential healthcare provisions. The main objective of the program was to provide health insurance, facilitate vaccination, and offer assistance for post-COVID treatment. In addition to these services, the program also created awareness on health-related issues among migrant communities. This was a direct intervention by Caritas India, with support from local partners to ensure smooth and effective implementation. The program was implemented in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, and Karnataka, and ran from January 2021 to March 2022.