Caste, Class, Gender And The Structural Vulnerability Of Girls To Human Trafficking In India

Abstract

Human trafficking is still considered an exploitative practice in India, especially among girls who are affected by poverty, marginalization, gender inequality and lack of socioeconomic prospects. In this research, an attempt was made to study the vulnerability of girls to human trafficking through an examination of the interrelated issues of caste, class and gender. A qualitative research design was chosen, whereby secondary sources of data were utilized through academic literature, governmental reports, laws and institutions. Using an intersectional vulnerability framework, how issues such as discrimination based on caste, poverty, poor education, unstable job situation, migration and gender inequality contributed to making girls vulnerable to human trafficking was assessed. It was found that vulnerability was not generated by a single cause but a result of several factors. Caste-based exclusion would prevent access to opportunities, whereas poverty and economic instability might make the people more dependent on hazardous employment or migration practices. Gender disparity would reduce the freedom of girls, restrict their mobility, and would affect their decision-making ability. The study concluded that the legal measures and institutional response would provide an essential platform for prevention and protection against trafficking, although the effectiveness of such interventions would be hindered due to under-reporting, lack of accessibility, lack of coordination, and neglect of structural problems. An intersectional approach including legal intervention and education, economic opportunity, safe migration, social protection, and rehabilitation is required for the prevention of trafficking in India.