Awareness Session: Safe Migration to End Labour Trafficking

The Centre for Law and Social Justice, WBNUJS, is organised its first event which was an Awareness building session with the support of their knowledge partner International Justice Mission on the 9th of February from 3 PM- 4.30 PM at the WBNUJS Campus in Room No. 107.
The theme of the session was, “Safe Migration to End labour trafficking”. The program was presided over by Chief Guest Shri Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya [Chief Justice (Retd)]. The event started with the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Dr Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti giving a welcome note to all the people attending the session. This was followed by the felicitation of the chief guest, the Vice Chancellor and Prof Dr Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan.
The session then had a short film titled ‘Dreaming to Fly’ which elucidated the problem of labour trafficking especially, child labour in an extraordinary manner. The following discussion focused on how the bonded labour system works in various facets, including the issue of the unorganised sector and migrant workers. It also equipped the participants to identify the hidden aspects of the crime of labour trafficking and the rehabilitation schemes available for the victims. There was a detailed discussion on the state as well as the level of human trafficking in the country. The various possible suggestions to tackle this problem included positive actions such as law enforcement and good practices where the panchayat can be involved in cases of migration so that migration can be checked at the village level. In order to extend the knowledge regarding the elements of the bonded labour system, this seminar created an awareness of how unsafe migration leads to labour trafficking. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation Of Employment And Conditions Of Service) Act, 1979 and its modalities were discussed by various speakers to give the attendees an in-depth knowledge of the legislation which aims to prevent incidents of labour trafficking.

Thereafter Ms Kanchan Yadav, University Research Scholar briefly presented a research paper titled, ‘India’s labour force during pandemic: how we have failed’ co-authored by her and Prof Dr. Sanjit Kumar Chakraborty. The paper focused on the effects of the suspension and changes in labour rights implemented by the various state governments to help the industries cope with the massive losses that were suffered because of COVID-19. The paper was published in the Journal of Poverty and Social Science by the Bristol University Press.
This awareness seminar gave the students an opportunity to understand the ongoing deliberations and find solutions to the challenges that are bothering this discourse. The session was attended by the Pro Bono Associates, members of the Legal Aid Society, students from Forensic Sciences as well as LLM students of the university. The session ended with a vote of thanks given by Prof Dr Sanjit Kumar Chakraborty, the Director of the Centre for Law and Social Justice.