As India responds to devastating flash floods and landslides in the northern state of Uttarakhand this week, Christian relief and development agency Tearfund warns that children in the region will be more vulnerable to trafficking.
Over 600 have been confirmed dead, with up to 40,000 said to be stranded or displaced in the mountain regions of northern India.
“Some of the poorest families will face an uncertain future now that they have been displaced and lost their livelihoods, especially those who ran small businesses like farms or shops,” says Tearfund’s Head of Asia, Sudarshan Sathianathan. “What we have learned from previous disasters is that opportunistic traffickers will take advantage of a family in the wake of this disaster, by offering to temporarily take their child to the city to find work.”
“Out of desperation, families accept the offer, without realising that their child - some as young as six years old - will be sold into the sex industry or into child labour. In some extremely sad cases, they never see their child again.”
These traffickers are often a distant relative of the family, or are known to them in some way, so there is a basis of trust that means children are more vulnerable.
As well as responding to the immediate impacts of the disaster with emergency relief work, Tearfund local partner organisations, Emmanuel Hospital Association, EFICOR and Discipleship Centre, are also warning families of the child security dangers. These organisations are distributing cash to the most vulnerable, and working with communities to get their livelihoods back as soon as possible, so families are not left with the only option of sending their children away for work.
Tearfund warns that the risk to children in the flood affected areas could be high for the next six months to a year, as the relief work continues.
Notes to Editor
For further information and to arrange interviews please contact Tearfund’s media team on 077899 60135 or 0208 943 7792. For out of hours media enquiries please call please call +44 (0) 7710 573749.
Sudarshan Sathianathan, Tearfund's Head of Asia, is available for interview.