Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government
today launched the Society for Protection and Empowerment of
Women and Children and an Integrated Child Protection scheme
to facilitate effective protection of women and children by
synergising the service chain of government, non-governmental
organisations and private sector.
It also released a protocol on minimum standards of care
in homes for victims of sex trafficking to effectively combat
trafficking of women and provide all care and support to the
victims.
Andhra Pradesh is the first state in the country to set
up the society for women empowerment as well as frame the
protocol against trafficking, according to Chief Minister K
Rosaiah, who launched these programmes at a two-day workshop
organised by the Women Development and Child Welfare
Department here today.
"There are several laws for the protection of women but
unfortunately they are not being effectively implemented,
resulting in growing violence against women.
As many as 10,000 cases of dowry harassment (domestic
violence) are being registered in Andhra Pradesh every year
while there is an increase in incidence of women and children
being trafficked.
Every year, an estimated 20,000 women and children are
being trafficked from AP alone," the Chief Minister noted.
"Trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation
is a heinous crime which goes against all tenets of society
and the nation. Most important of all, it is a crime against
the basic human rights of the victims," Rosaiah said, adding
that his government was committed to prevention of trafficking
and also the welfare and rehabilitation of the victims.
The Women Development and Child Welfare Department is
collaborating with Prajwala, an anti-trafficking organisation,
for implementing the protocol on minimum standards of care.
The Society for Protection and Empowerment of Women
and Children would have a state-level steering committee
comprising ministers of different departments and a general
body consisting of secretaries of departments and others. At
the district-level the society would be headed by the
respective district Collectors.
Ministers Botsa Satyanarayana, Danam Nagender,
Director General of Police R R Girish Kumar, WDCW Department
Principal Secretary Chaya Ratan and other top officials
attended the event.
PTI
