In continuation of anti-trafficking campaign in Orissa a workshop on Trafficking of Women and Children was held from 30 Nov. 03 to 1 Dec. 03 at JEETA Office in "Oliha" village of Deulipada GP under Mahakalapada Block under Kendrapada District. This programme was organised by JEETA in collaboration with Project Sarajya with the assistance of CWS, Hyderabad.
The programme started at 11 AM with the welcome speech by the Secretary of Project Swarajya Mrs Dolli Dash. She described the background along with the aims and objectives of this programme. And she also briefly described the role of Jagnyaseni Network behind this programme alongwith how Jagnyaseni is campaigning at State level to prevent trafficking. Mrs Abanti Behera, Secretary 'Jana Adhikar Sammukshya' and Nominee of the Marshaghai Panchayat Samiti facilitated the first session of the programme on the request of Ms. Mata Rout representing JEETA. She started the session by inviting the participants to give their self-introduction. Then they were asked by the facilitator, each to speak on how they understood the trafficking issues. A volunteer of Jeeta, who is a local woman activist described some cases of trafficking by giving examples of some trafficked persons of this Block. Mr. Pranaya Ketan Chowdhury, Sarapanch of Deulipada G.P attended as the Chief Guest and presented a trafficking case that had come to his knowledge. He observed that the parents were fully responsible for the trafficking of the girls. In the case known to him, the parents of the girl encouraged the trafficker to take their daughter and rehabilitate her in any way he liked. As a sensitive person the Sarpanch tried to stop her from going out with that stranger. But her parents didn't listen to him, rather they accused him that he didn't want their family to improve financially. Another Resource Person Mr Pravat Ranjan Jena, a Nominee of that Block attended the programme and also spoke like his previous speaker. He told that daughters of his village are being trafficked away. He felt af they were his daughters. He informed the district administration and the latter became well aware about it. He praised Mr.Arun Bothra S.P. of Kendrapada, since he did a lot to locate the traffickers. Mr. Bothra also arrested a group of persons who were involved in trafficking cases. So he observed that, if the organisations like Project Swarajya and Jeeta come forward to protect their daughters, he would definitely help them to any extent. With this the first session got over.
The second session started at 3 P.M. after one hour of lunch break. The session was facilitated by Mrs Kadambini Samal Secretary of MAHIYASI, Dhenkanal. Ms Sailabala Samal Primary School Teacher in Ramnagar GP spoke that during her teachership career she experienced that the numbers of girl students decreased while being promoted to upper standard. This is the symptom of negligence of girl child for higher study. Then Ms Samal called for an interaction session in between the participants and resource persons. There were both male and female participants. Most of the women participants blamed their neighbours and family friends, who used to pressurize the parents of the girl child for early marriage of the daughters. The parents in turn feel offended by such caustic comments and as a result try to dispose of their daughters in any manner possible. That provides a fertile ground in the mindset of the parents to get rid of their girl child, even by handing her over to the traffickers. Some task was given by the facilitator to the participants for compliance on the next day. The topic was the forms of trafficking and how can one recognize it as an illegal practice.
Mr. Pravat kumar Singh, Social Worker of Project Swarajya registered the name of participants along with the guests. He also prepared the report and documented the whole discussion. Mr. Nihar Paital, Honorary Social Worker of the organisation assisted in reporting and completing the course of the first day. Ms. Mata Rout gave vote of thanks to every resource person alongwith the participants. She also requested those who left the discussion midway, to come for the next day.
The next day i.e. 31st Nov.03 the programme started at 9 A.M with a welcome song by the participants. Ms. Kadambini Samal facilitated the session and asked for a recap of the previous day's activities. She instructed for making groups among the participants and present the different forms of trafficking through role play in their area. In Toto 5 groups were formed. Each group presented some different forms of trafficking. Then interactive session continued upto lunch time. In the afternoon session, Mr. Gopal Chandra Rout, a retired Teacher and Ms.Abanti Behera discussed how such incidents of trafficking used to occur repeatedly and largely after the super cyclone. The programme for that day ended by 6 P.M. Ms. Mata Rout gave thanks to all.
On 1st December the session started at 9 A.M. Ms Kadambini Samal focussed the discussion on marriage registration. She spoke about the different types of marriage that people practise. Participants also shared a lot of experience of their own on different marriage practices, some of which end up as false marriage. Ms Samal also asked participants to form groups and present their respective experience on cases of false marriage also on how the victimised women were facing troubles without the proof of marriage. The groups presented a clear picture on the harmful consequences of the false marriages. A sample register for the purpose of marriage registration as prepared by NARISHAKTI was circulated for the knowledge of the participants, and also on how to register a marriage within the village.
Mr.Ashis Senapati Project Director of Project Swarajya delivered a speech on laws concerning crime against women. He told any type of marriage would be accepted on the basis of the willingness of both the parents of the girl. Where there is no consent from either of the parents, the problem arises. One participant asked, if the parents don't allow for the marriage of a girl while the girl has her own choice for a boy at the age of 20, then what she should do? Mr.Senapati suggested, if the concerned marriage is of her own choice, then they should go for registering the marriage. He emphasized the act of registration, as a critical one in the process of marriage.
The responsibility for registering the marriage was given to Mata Rout. Mr. Pranaya Ketan Choudhury and Mr.Pravat Ranjan Jena who were also present on that day assured that they would help Mata to do this job. All participants, senior citizens and guests appreciated the effort of the organization towards creating awareness and ground work for prevention of trafficking of girls and women.
The programme was closed by 1 P.M. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs. Mata Rout.