Over 300 students organized the global ‘Walk for Freedom’ to raise awareness about human trafficking at Sankardev College, here today.
The Walk for Freedom is the world’s largest event to raise awareness against human trafficking, happening simultaneously in 500 locations across 50 countries. It is a silent walk in solidarity with unheard victims of human trafficking.
The walk was flagged off by Superintendent of Police (Anti-Infiltration), Herbert G. Lyngdoh. During his speech he said though human trafficking is a big challenge, the law enforcers have succeeded in many ways to arrest the scourge that inflicts the society.
He lauded the college authority for collaborating with NGO’s from the state and Mumbai to spread awareness to tackle the menace.
Before the walk, participants took a pledge to do everything possible within their means to help end trafficking in their lifetime.
This was Shillong’s third year participating in the walk led by the college in collaboration with other colleges, corporate, civil society and community members.
In Meghalaya, as many as 603 incidents of crimes against women and 416 cases of crimes against minors were recorded in 2022. These include instances of human trafficking, rape, assaults, kidnappings and murders of women and children.
Nearly 50 million people are caught in various forms of modern-day slavery globally, including exploitation for sex, labour, organs, baby selling, forced marriages and domestic servitude, reports the International Labour Organisation. This means that one in every 150 people globally are enslaved. In India, eight children were trafficked every day in 2021 according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
