SCO member states adopt protocol to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating growing menace of trafficking in persons especially, women and children

The Nineteenth Meeting of Prosecutors General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)Member States was hosted by Shri Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India on 29^th October, 2021.

Earlier, Shri Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice also hosted meeting of the Experts / Officials Group on 27^th and 28^thOctober, 2021. The Experts Group discussed the issues pertaining to the growth of transnational organized crime on a global scale as well as the current experience of the SCO countries’ efforts to tackle the most dangerous manifestations of transnational crime, including trafficking in persons, especially in women and children in the region.

The 19^th meeting was further opened with the welcome address of the Law Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India highlighting the history of SCO Member States and bringing out the necessity for a concerted effort to check trafficking in human beings. He observed that the protocol & visionary address by Prosecutors General shall strengthen anti-trafficking measures and safety of whole society. He further expressed a fervent hope that joint activities & experiences of SCO Member States shall help to curb the pressing problem of human trafficking and be a driving force for consolidation of efforts globally. The meetings were conducted through Video Conferencing mode.

The Solicitor General of India ShriTushar Mehta, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr.Nurdauletov G.D., Procurator General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China Mr. Zhang Jun, First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Moldokmatov Abai,Attorney General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Ch. Amir Rehman, Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Mr. Krasnov I.V., Prosecutor General of the Republic of Tajikistan Mr. Rahmon Yusuf Ahmadzod, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Yuldashev N.T.,participated in theProsecutors General Meeting. The SCO Secretary General Mr. V.I. Norov and Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure D.F. Giesov also participated in the meeting.

A Protocol following the results of the Nineteenth meeting of Prosecutors General of the SCO Member States was signed and adopted by the SCO Member States. The salient features of the Protocol are as under:

1. To strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating growing menace of trafficking in persons especially, women and children.
2. To continue exchanging the national legislation to combat the menace of trafficking in persons, especially women and children.
3. To provide protection and assistance in victims of trafficking within their competence.
4. To develop cooperation between the educational (training) organizations (institutions) of the SCO member states in the field of training and advanced training of prosecutors, whose competence include combating trafficking in persons especially, women and children.
5. To conduct bilateral and multilateral activities, including thorough videoconferencing, on countering and combating the threat of trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

Addressing the eminent gathering of Prosecutors General from SCO Member States, Shri Tushar Mehta, Learned Solicitor General of India highlighted the initiatives taken by the Indian Government to curtail the growth of transnational organized crime, including trafficking in persons, inter-alia, including ratification of United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others as also United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC).

He underlined that the commitment to address the problem of trafficking in human beings by the Government of India is reflected in various legal provisions to counter trafficking provisions, as enshrined in the Indian Constitution as well as Indian Penal Code and Legislations like Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 etc.  He also shared various programmes & schemes initiated by the Government of India like “Ujjawala”, “SwadharGreh Scheme”, “Sakhi”, “Universalization of Women Helpline”, providing for a supportive institutional framework and mechanism for addressing concerns of women affected by violence.

As part of the activities of Prosecutors General Forum, Ld. Solicitor General urged SCO Member States to cooperate bilaterally and multilaterally to effectively eliminate the transnational organized crime in trafficking in persons.

The next (20th) meeting of the Prosecutors General of the SCO Member States will be held in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2022.