Assam govt notifies policy against human trafficking, witch-hunting

Guwahati: The Assam government on Friday notified a state policy aimed at combating human trafficking and witch-hunting to ensure that all people can live a life of equal worth, free from all forms of abuse.

"The Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch-Hunting is now officially notified. A significant move to safeguard human rights and uphold dignity," the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a post on X.

The notification, issued by an order of the governor on May 6, stated that the policy will come into effect from the date of its publication in the official gazette.

According to the policy, the vision is to create a state where all individuals are able to attain their full potential by living a life of equal worth, free from all kinds of abuse and participate equally in private and public life.

The policy's mission is to "provide a safe and equal society wherein all individuals can claim their entitlements and access all services, lead a life free from all kinds of violence, experience an enhancement in their capabilities and exercise control over their life circumstances through convergence and synergies among all departments for promoting safety and security".

The policy acknowledged that human trafficking and witch-hunting are two crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls.

While human trafficking is an organised crime and is considered the fastest growing criminal enterprise, witch-hunting is mostly a social crime rooted in deep-seated regressive cultural practices, it said.

The state's geographical location, with borders with six other North Eastern states besides boundaries with Bangladesh and Bhutan, makes it a ‘critical’ one, the policy added.

The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2018, deals with witch-hunting, making it a cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence, it added.

While cases of witch-hunting have visibly dipped after the enactment of this law, it has not been eradicated completely, with 32 cases registered between 2022-24 according to Assam Police data.

"In the above context, there is an urgent need to develop a well-designed comprehensive policy to cover all areas of intervention, ensuring prevention, protection and rehabilitation of survivors of trafficking and witch-hunting. Apart from ensuring the rights of the survivors, the area of preventing such crime and prosecuting culprits is also an area of urgent intervention," the policy stated.

The Department of Women and Child Development will serve as the nodal department for the implementation of this policy. Other departments will be designated as core or allied departments/stakeholders, as specified.

Committees at the state, district and gaon panchayat levels will be set up for interventions at the required level, it added.