Background

Every year, thousands of children in India fall victim to forced labor and sex trafficking. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 2000 cases of trafficking are reported in India each year (see). The United Nations reports that of the 1.2 million children that are trafficked globally every year, India serves as a source, transit, and destination, especially in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Children trapped in trafficking are exposed to heinous crimes like domestic servitude, forced labor, and economic exploitation, as well as child marriage or commercial sexual exploitation. 

The root causes vary from poverty to education, but all originate from systemic socioeconomic inequalities. As such, some communities may be more vulnerable than others, and traffickers often target children from marginalized communities. Luring families with false promises of economic security, traffickers then exploit children in factories, begging rings, or brothels. This situation has been worsened by a lack of appropriate enforcement measures. While laws like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act lay out comprehensive measures, conviction rates remain low, and most cases go unreported. 

Red Lights was created to tackle this issue through awareness and prevention. By providing educational materials and interactive resources to the students of SCJ Jain School in Gujarat, Red Lights will educate over 200 children about personal safety. Our aim is to create sustainable change by increasing awareness and equipping children with the tools they require to remain safe. The initiative will also enlist local businesses to pledge their commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal #16.