Child Trafficking and Forced Labour in India: An Analytical Study

Human trafficking stands as one of the gravest organized crimes in India, uniquely positioning the country as a source, transit, and destination for such activities. Poverty, illiteracy, limited livelihood options, disasters, and unemployment are the primary drivers, making men, women, and especially children highly susceptible to trafficking. These victims, often abducted, recruited, and transferred, are subjected to sexual and labor exploitation. Child trafficking not only violates children's rights but also exposes them to significant dangers. In India, children are trafficked for sexual exploitation and various forms of economic exploitation, including domestic, industrial, and agricultural labor, as well as work in large and small-scale industries and construction. Trafficked children, as socially excluded and economically exploited individuals, receive little to no income for their labor. Unaware of their rights, they are forced into hazardous and unhealthy working conditions, deprived of education, and basic necessities, effectively becoming forced laborers.