The Indian Railways, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, have launched a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the protection of vulnerable children. The Ministry of Railways said, the SOP outlines a robust framework for safeguarding children who came into contact with the Indian Railways.
It also reinforces Indian Railways’ commitment to prevent child exploitation and trafficking by providing a safety net for at-risk children who may have been separated from their families.
To safeguard vulnerable children nationwide, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit are to be set up in about 262 stations across the country. Railways is also running an operation Meri Saheli for protection of single ladies travelling in trains. The Ministry stated that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is undertaking a proactive role to make sure that its premises are not used by human traffickers to encourage the transportation of children. RPF has rescued over 57 thousand children in the last five years from trafficking, out of which close to 18 thousand were girls.
During the launch Women and Child Development Secretary, Anil Malik pressed the need to safeguard vulnerable groups, especially juveniles who risk exploitation by human traffickers. He also praised the Indian Railways for its initiatives to enhance the safety and security of juveniles from the human traffickers.