NATIONAL LEGAL COLLOQUIUM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE, HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

NATIONAL LEGAL COLLOQUIUM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE, HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

UNIFEM in collaboration with Legal Solutions India organized a Three Day National Level Consultation on ‘Building Positive Partnerships; Legal Professionals as Partners against Trafficking and Violence against Women and Children’, from (12th – 14th July, 2006 at The International Centre Goa. Legal Professional from all across the Country participated in the Consultation. Legal Experts including Professor Raina from the Campus Law Centre ,Delhi University, Manabendra Mandal Director ATSEC India , Ms Sarasu Esther Thomas , National Law School Bangalore , Ashok Aggarwal participated in the programme .

The three-day consultation came out with a very Strong Recommendations focusing on the crime of Human Trafficking. Also a decision was taken to form a NATIONAL LEGAL COLLOQUIUM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE, HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

The National Law Colloquium came out with a set of Action Plan recommending the following :

· To Advocate for the Creation of Special Courts to deal with matters of Human Trafficking and for In Camera Trials.
· To enforce Strict compliance of 327(2) in all Trial Courts.
· Decriminalization: to advocate for decriminalization of the Trafficked instead of Treating them on par with Traffickers and Clients.
· To advocate for separate and stringent laws for Human Trafficking and making the matter as an offence with Strict Liability.
· Punishment to violators of law to be made certain specific and severe
· Providing proper space to all Stake Holders (Police Courts, advocates, Prosecutors, Probation Officer, Counselors, NGOs and Civil Society to contribute for its eradication. This is possible by Developing partnerships and work in co-ordination)
· To lobby/advocate with the State to make mandatory rehabilitation of victims of Human Trafficking This can be achieved through NGOs working in this field.
· To come out with a Special handbook for advocates relating to laws dealing with Trafficking for quick Referral.
· To undertake Training and sensitization of the Judiciary by coordinating with the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and the State Judicial Academies.
· Victim Compensation Laws- To undertake a comparative analysis of International Laws with Thrust on Victims of Human Trafficking and to advocate for inclusion of victim compensation in Indian Legal system
· To take effective steps to reach out to the Law Schools across the country for involving young Law Students in this movement and to advocate for inclusion of these legislations in Subjects like Criminal Law, Gender Justice etc.
· To encourage Law colleges to start Legal Clinic on women Rights and use the law students for awareness programme.
· To undertake programmes and trainings with coordination with State Legal Services Authority and also NALSA
· To undertake a documentation of of decisions of Trial Courts in Trafficking Issues.
· To compile Best Practices of Prosecution in Trafficking Cases.
· To have a Blog and a Website for exchange of Information among the Legal Fraternity and also for the use of Law Students.
The Secretariat of the National Legal Colloquium will be at the Legal Solutions Office at New Delhi .The Campus Law Centre Delhi University , Salgaocar Law College, Goa and National Law Scool Bangalore will be partner organization in this initiative.