Dimapur, March 13 (MExN): The NBCC Associations women leader’s empowerment programme on ‘Human Trafficking’ which started on March 10 at Kolkata concluded today, with a consensus to combat and launch awareness programme in their respective associations. This was informed in a press note issued by Neingupeu Kazhie, women secretary, CBCC.
Amenla Saku, Lecturer from Bishop College, Kolkata spoke on the role of the Church and Human Trafficking. She said that women were deceived with glamorous jobs like modelling, and jobs in call centres with good salaries. “There are many instances where local agents and traffickers publish such fake advertisements to lure the local girls. Some traffickers even disguise themselves to be the missionaries, and deceive people into flesh trade. As a church, we must stand in solidarity with the victim and combat all these challenges,” she said, and added that human trafficking is against human dignity and that everyone has the right to live a dignified life.
Cornelius Gomes, from Justice and Care spoke on ‘Investigation and operation.’ Highlighting the growing lucrative business, he asserted that unless all religious communities and civil society must work together to combat this evil practice many innocent young girls tricked into this business. Also, Wati Longchar, Professor and Dean of SCEPTRE spoke on various campaign models. The ‘Tamar Protest against Sex Exploitation”, a model developed in South Africa was found to be relevant, and which is an inter-faith awareness campaign’s model which can effectively implement at all level of society. The participants decided to adopt this model in all the associations from this year.
Abenla, from Justice and Care spoke on the processes of ‘Home Investigation, After Care, Repatriation and Reintegration.’ The note also mentioned that NBCC Association leaders also visited the red light area, and Free Set Care Centre, an empowerment centre where the rescued women work for their living, and are empowered to stand on their feet. The team also visited Mother Teresa’s Homeand interacted with the sisters and volunteer social workers on various issues. The group discovered that one of reasons why many unwanted children are thrown out on the street is due to growing commercial sex industry. The technique and skill gained during the seminar will be a great help in fight against human trafficking.
“Anybody involved – whether Army personal or national workers, business people, politicians, etc. the church, particularly women group will not remain a silent spectator. We will fight in solidarity against those people and perpetuators until the justice is done to the victim. We appeal all the churches, religious communities and civil societies to cooperate with the women’s group in fight against this evil and inhuman business,” further stated the note. The programme was hosted by the Extension Department of the Senate of Serampore University.
