Sakhi Samvad with Smt Vijaya Rahatkar, Hon’ble Chairperson, NCW, New Delhi

Rising Trafficking of Girls Through Forced Marriages
Bal Kalyan Sangh Event Chaired by NCW Chairperson Calls for Strong Action

Bal Kalyan Sangh, Jharkhand, organized a programme titled “Sakhi Samvad” (Women’s Dialogue) on Monday at Ranchi, with the objective of creating awareness on human trafficking, child marriage, and women’s rights.

The programme was presided over by Ms. Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women. Addressing the gathering, Ms. Rahatkar highlighted that due to lack of development in rural and remote areas, women and adolescent girls are at a significantly higher risk of trafficking. She expressed serious concern over the increasing trend of young girls being trafficked under the pretext of marriage, calling it a grave violation of human rights.

She urged women to become aware of their rights and to raise their collective voices against social evils. Ms. Rahatkar further stated that innocent girls are often lured with false promises of better education, employment opportunities, or a secure future, which ultimately results in exploitation and trafficking.

Mr. Sanjay Mishra, Founder of Bal Kalyan Sangh, stated that the organization has been working for over three decades in the areas of child protection, prevention of human trafficking, and women’s empowerment. He emphasized that Bal Kalyan Sangh has been making consistent efforts at the grassroots level to address trafficking and related vulnerabilities through community engagement, awareness, and system strengthening.

The programme witnessed participation from women and adolescent girls from various rural and remote areas of Jharkhand. Detailed discussions were held on issues such as human trafficking, child marriage, domestic violence, witch-hunting, girls’ education, and the challenges faced by girls from single-parent families.

Participants shared that even today, women in many villages face persecution on the pretext of witchcraft, while several girls are forced to drop out of school after completing the eighth grade due to poverty, social norms, and lack of support. A large number of women from remote areas attended the programme and actively participated in the dialogue, sharing their lived experiences and concerns.

The programme concluded with a collective resolve to strengthen community awareness, protect girls from trafficking and early marriage, and ensure access to education, safety, and dignity for every child and woman.