{ "id": 19107, "date": "2023-02-10T17:09:36", "date_gmt": "2023-02-10T09:09:36", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/ijmhk.wpenginepowered.com\/news\/ijm-trained-police-arrest-65-suspected-traffickers-and-rescue-707-people-in-three-months-copy\/" }, "modified": "2024-10-30T14:32:17", "modified_gmt": "2024-10-30T06:32:17", "slug": "operation-smile-frees-1401-child-bonded-labourers-in-south-asia", "status": "publish", "type": "news", "link": "https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/en\/news\/operation-smile-frees-1401-child-bonded-labourers-in-south-asia\/", "title": { "rendered": "Operation Smile frees 1401 child bonded labourers in South Asia" }, "content": { "rendered": "

TELANGANA, SOUTH ASIA \u2013 As many as 1,401 children were rescued from bondage this January during the ninth edition of Operation Smile\u2014a month-long initiative by police in Telangana to rescue, rehabilitate, and reunite missing or trafficked children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telangana police also arrested 390 suspects who forced children to work in diverse industries\u2014including sewing factories, religious spaces, mechanic shops, brick kilns, construction sites, cattle farms, jewelry factories, and tea stalls. More than 200 children were rescued from dangerous brick kilns alone, and some victims were as young as six years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to those rescued from labour exploitation this year, authorities also supported another 1,400 children in vulnerable conditions on the street. Efforts are underway to reunite children with their families or help them recover in safe aftercare shelters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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State officials in Telangana rescued 1,401 children like these from bonded labour in January through a biannual initiative called Operation Smile.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

History of Operation Smile<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Operation Smile (also called Operation Muskaan) is an annual program from India\u2019s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). All Indian states are encouraged to participate, but Telangana has consistently led the way with bi-annual drives since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each January and July, police work in coordination with the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, the Labour Department, Health Department, Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units, and relevant local NGOs to inspect worksites, interview children, and bring victims to safety. Officials are also trained to sensitively interview children living on the street and upload their data to the nation\u2019s missing children database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2018 to 2023, state authorities have rescued more than 7,600 children from bonded labour and hundreds more from vulnerable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2019, the Deputy General of Telangana\u2019s police had shared boldly, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cAs we can confidently say that we have rescued these children, over a period of time we must ensure that we can confidently say to our community and citizens that we have fought to abolish child labour, child exploitation, bonded labour, or child trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

IJM and Operation Smile<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

International Justice Mission (IJM) has supported Operation Smile in Telangana as an expert consultant since 2018, either directly or through our local casework partner Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD). In late 2022, IJM launched a new state program in Telangana to support initiatives like these that help strengthen the government\u2019s ability to protect vulnerable people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, on the invitation of the state government, IJM staff supported police with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for safely liberating children (like how to complete a Release Certificate that breaks any false debts to the owner) and for thoroughly documenting evidence against suspected traffickers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IJM and FSD also provided tactical advice as needed when law enforcement officials needed help on rescue operations or for repatriating children who had been trafficked from neighboring states. We look forward to supporting Operation Smile again in the future, as officials in Telangana continuously strive to create a safer state for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read local media coverage of Operation Smile in <\/em>The <\/em><\/a>Siasat<\/a><\/em> Daily<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Telangana Today<\/em><\/a>, and <\/em>The Hindu<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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