To curb the problem of trafficking in women, the Traffic in Humans (Control) Act was passed in 1986.

A National Task Force also came into being in 1997 with 24 task forces at the district level. Child welfare committees were set up in 75 districts and juvenile benches were established in court.

As the problem increased in severity, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare was established in 1998, followed by Child and Women’s Development Council.

The ministry worked in conjunction with the International Programme on Elimination of Child Labour and ILO to develop a 13-point strategy for the prevention of trafficking.

The ministry, in addition, formulated a National Plan of Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

A National Women’s Coordination Committee for the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action came into being.

The aims were to identify and eliminate different forms of violence with the efforts of the government, NGOs and women’s organisations; and establish a system to collect information and conduct rehabilitation programmes.

Under this, legal services and help lines and shelters have been set up. But rehabilitation is an arduous process and not always successful because of the social stigma and the fact that many girls contract AIDS.

In 2002, a National Commission was formed with the idea of gender mainstreaming. The Ministry of Home Affairs is also implementing a project to train and mobilise the police force in awareness and prevention of trafficking.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Transportation and The Ministry of Law and Justice also have initiatives on trafficking.