Nagpur: Over 650 people participated in a walkathon organised by Prakruthi Organisation on Sunday from Ahinsa Chowk to Raja Rani Chowk to mark United Nations’ (UN) World Day against Trafficking in Persons.
The walk, which was called “Blue-A-Thon” was organised in an effort to spread awareness on making Nagpur the safest city in Maharashtra for women and children. The event was launched in the presence of Chetna Tidke, DCP-Traffic Police Department, Chhaya Gurav, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Rekha Sankpal, incharge and Nagpur Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU). Other guests included senior officials of Nagpur Traffic Police, Nagpur City Police, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Cyber Crime, Nagpur Municipal Corporation, etc.
The event aimed to display solidarity in dealing with trafficking, and to reach and support all victims of trafficking. Together, over 650 participants participated through online registration and in a short warm up Zumba session, followed by a walk that covered a distance of 1.5 kilometres, starting from Aahinsa Chowk to Raja Rani Chowk, and back. “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind – identifiable groups vulnerable to traffickers” is the central, transformative promise of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Blue Heart (Blue-A-Thon) symbol represents solidarity with the victims and the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell their fellow human beings.
“The observance of this day is to know that human trafficking is a serious problem, and to raise awareness about the prevalence of this heinous crime that is a violation of a person’s basic human rights. The problem requires a coordinated effort from all sectors of society to eradicate it and protect the rights and dignity of every individual,” said Chetna Tidke.
Participants included student members of Youth India Unchained (YIU – an initiative aimed at nurturing youth leaders who will work to make the city safer for every girl) from 30 colleges, members of Suraksha Samiti, and youth from various hostels and institutes from across the city.
Prakruthi Organisation has been dedicated to preventing crimes against women and children for the last 3 decades. Their approach focuses on establishing a safe and nurturing environment through sustainable solutions. The walkathon was organised to reinforce the organization’s commitment to combating human trafficking and promoting awareness.
“We believe that combating human trafficking in Nagpur can be achieved only through sustained efforts and collaboration with government authorities, civil society and the youth. The walkathon has been a huge success in nudging the interest towards promoting efforts to prevent and monitor this issue before it turns into a crisis,” a Prakruthi spokesperson said. The event concluded with a signature campaign and a pledge called Buland Jawab, wherein participants pledged to safeguard the girls of Nagpur and fight for their rights. In order to support the survivors of trafficking that Prakruthi is helping integrate back into the society with dignity.
On Anti-Human Trafficking Day, Prakruthi Organisation pushed attention towards organisations and individuals who can make a difference in various ways : by advocating for stronger laws and policies to combat trafficking; improve national resource management to strengthen prevention measures; and to sensitise everyone on the subject to reduce vulnerability among younger children, in a collective effort to combat the heinous crime/act.
