What’s happening to the Indian Children Orphaned by COVID-19?
Researched and Written by Saumya, India and Oshina, UAE
Image for representation purposes only
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic, a ruthless disaster of its own kind, has left barely any part of the country standing without scratches. As it moves towards becoming yet another 3rd world problem, it has and continues to add more undeserving children to a large pool of orphaned Indians.
The measures instilled to reduce the infection spread, such as quarantine, lockdowns, and limitations on economic activity, may seem to indicate a reduction in crime at a glance. However, just as office work shifted into the home, other sectors seemed to have adapted as well, including crime. In trafficking people, criminals are essentially adjusting their models to the new normal by abusing the accessibility and services the internet and other technologies have to offer.
Children, as we know, are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. With school closures depriving them of not only education but of a primary source of housing and sustenance as well, many are forced to live on the streets for their survival, putting themselves into a world of infection and exploitation.
INDIA
Prior to the first lockdown in march of 2020, there were more than an estimated 2 million children living in the streets of india. With jobs of rag picking and being street merchants, they are vulnerable and often coerced into begging networks through violence. Living in an oppressive system forced upon them- many remained in the streets even as lockdowns ended.
The government of India cared much about the economy when in a hurry to release their first stimulus package which was followed by more economic measures later. However, their statements mentioned little about including any child specific provisions. Just like in the beginning of 2021, where most people found saviours on twitter, looking for health care resources as the second wave hit, children were also left to fend for themselves- once again calling overwhelmed hotlines and sending videos to request for food and basic necessities.
According to a Times of India report, a total of 788 children below 3 years, 5226 aged between 4-13, and 3,332 belonging to the 14 to 17 age group, either lost both parents, one parent or were abandoned during the pandemic. This of course is a statistic that was in fact recorded. Much like the total number of covid cases and deaths, this number is likely to be largely understated as well.
Following a large demand, the NCPCR presented an affidavit highlighting the urgency of additional efforts to be made to ensure the protection of childrens’ rights. It also stated the necessity of a plan to identify children in need and develop a mechanism for tracking the children being orphaned or losing parents due to covid and not having financial support.
India and child trafficking
Human trafficking is widely acknowledged as one of the most serious human rights crimes. With that in mind, Indian children are routinely trafficked for commercial and sexual exploitation both within the country and to neighboring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
According to a 2005 Action Research Study done by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the bulk of trafficking victims come from socially disadvantaged groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and such others. Drought-prone regions and places hit by natural or man-made calamities have a higher risk of falling prey to human trafficking as well.
Children are trafficked to and from states in India such as Bihar, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. In Andhra Pradesh, among 23, 16 are identified as sending districts.
Apart from the business related aspect of trafficking, similar exploitation of children also takes place for religious purposes. This is where a devdasi, a girl considered to be dedicated to god, would be projected to ritual sex enslavemnet for the rest of their lives. Since devdasis exist from as young as 5 years old, as soon as they hit puberty, they’re essentially forced into a prostitution sanctioned by religious practice, because it is belived to bring good luck into a family or marriage.
With the two major branches of trafficking and exploitation of children having been rampant and ever so prominent in pre covid times, there is a high risk of children- orphaned due to the pandemic- falling prey to human traffickers.
Role of Covid 19
COVID-19 measures may worsen the terrible condition of those still being held captive by their traffickers and also create the same conditions for more homeless children. The Lockdowns and movement restricting measures announced can worsen victims' isolation and dramatically limit their chances of being found.
A number of NGOs in India are running with the sole aim to bring such children into protection, including those that are newly orphaned. However, there is still concern over vulnerable children falling through the cracks, and winding up on the streets or being trafficked. As mentioned before, people are finding help through the internet to find at least some form of respite for these children if not complete protection. However, while platforms like twitter prove to be a great enabler of sharing resources, they also bring a great deal of risk with them. More than clean and legal business, the crime sector tends to find flexibility in adapting to their environment. By exposing the vulnerability of children online, those looking to help are actually handing traffickers all the information needed to target these children. Smriti iIrani, the Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development, even urged people to report all cases to authorities for legal adoption and prevent targeting by traffickers.
Conclusion
After the crisis, children and young people will face a new and different reality.
Despite the importance of child participation in the development of national plans for protecting their security and rights, the focus on their issues has taken a back seat.
Unfortunately, with not enough current data, as the country directs its resources to picking up the falling health care sector, orphaned children are still left vulnerable and exposed. However, the government must recognize history repeating itself, and try to cinch this issue before it evidently worsens. Through the history of child trafficking in India, and the current restrictive conditions only aiding this problem, the avenues of exploitation available at hand are unsettling. Adequate resources must be allocated in devising a plan in not only identifying when and where children are orphaned, but ensuring short and safe transition periods for them before they are securely and legally adopted. At the same time, those in the traps of such trafficking rings must also be rescued before a more painful human rights violation frenzy becomes the new norm.
TO REPORT A SUSPECTED INCIDENT OF CHILD TRAFFICKING IN INDIA
CONTACT: 1098 - A 24 HOUR HELPLINE [INDIA]
References
“More than Half of the Children Who Lost Parents Due to Covid-19 Aged Between 4-13, 788 Below 3 Years.” News18.Com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates, News18, 3 June 2021, www.news18.com/news/india/more-than-half-of-the-children-who-lost-parents-due-to-covid-19-aged-between-4-13-788-below-3-years-3804254.html.
Nations, United. “COVID-19 Seen Worsening Overall Trend in Human Trafficking.” United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime, www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2021/February/share-of-children-among-trafficking-victims-increases--boys-five-times-covid-19-seen-worsening-overall-trend-in-human-trafficking--says-unodc-report.html.
UNODC. “IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.” United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2020, www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/HTMSS_Thematic_Brief_on_COVID-19.pdf.
Assembly, General. “Impact of Coronavirus Disease on Different Manifestations of Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children.” United Nations - General Assembly - Human Rights Council Forty-Sixth Session, United Nations, 2021, documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G21/014/47/PDF/G2101447.pdf?OpenElement.
Lal, Neeta. “India's Child-Trafficking Nightmare Deepens in the Pandemic.” Global Asia, Mar. 2021, www.globalasia.org/v16no1/feature/indias-child-trafficking-nightmare-deepens-in-the-pandemic_neeta-lal.
“SEX TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN IN INDIA.” Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People, www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Factsheet_India.pdf.
Sarkar, Siddhartha. “Rethinking Human Trafficking in India: Nature, Extent and Identification of Survivors.” Taylor & Francis, 14 Oct. 2014, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2014.966499?scroll=top&needAccess=true.
Singh, Rohit K, and Oliver Frederick . “Child Trafficking Suspected behind Pleas for Adoption of Covid 'Orphans'.” Hindustan Times, 13 May 2021, www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/child-trafficking-suspected-behind-pleas-for-adoption-of-covid-orphans-101620898370713.html.
Gupta, Joydeep Sen. “Indian Govt and NGOs at Odds over Covid-19 Orphan Data.” Khaleej Times, 28 May 2021, www.khaleejtimes.com/coronavirus-pandemic/indian-govt-and-ngos-at-odds-over-covid-19-orphan-data.
Sud, Vedika, et al. “Covid Orphans Are a Tragic Legacy of India's Pandemic.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 June 2021, edition.cnn.com/2021/06/11/india/india-child-covid-intl-hnk-dst/index.html.
Rai, Saritha, and Shwetha Sunil. Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 27 May 2021, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-26/indians-flood-internet-with-pleas-to-help-covid-orphans-at-risk-of-exploitation.