Vijayawada: Stressing that prevention is far more effective than post-crisis intervention, women development and child welfare department secretary A Surya Kumari on Tuesday said the government’s foremost objective is to ensure that girls do not fall prey to human trafficking. She underlined that stringent preventive measures and coordinated implementation by officials can yield positive and lasting outcomes in safeguarding women and children.

Surya Kumari was speaking as the chief guest at a Regional Level Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on Prevention of Human Trafficking and Girl Child Safety, organised by the women development and child welfare department at a hotel near Benz Circle here. The programme aimed at equipping trainers with the knowledge and tools required to strengthen child protection mechanisms and curb trafficking at the grassroots level.

The secretary said the state government is giving high priority to child protection and women empowerment by rolling out multiple welfare schemes for women and girls. To ensure effective coordination of these initiatives, District Mission Coordinators (DMCs) have been appointed as nodal officers in every district.

She noted that youth groups under the ‘Yuva’ initiative and girls’ groups under the ‘Sakhi’ programme have been formed, covering nearly 23 lakh children across the State. The government’s goal, she added, is to achieve 100 per cent coverage, including children in government and private schools, residential institutions and out-of-school children.

Observing that human trafficking robs individuals of their dignity and affects millions of lives globally, Surya Kumari expressed concern over changing family structures and the influence of social media, which could push youth onto vulnerable paths.

She informed that emergency services such as the toll-free number 112 and One-Stop Centres are available to ensure the safety of women and children. The government, she reiterated, is committed to making Andhra Pradesh a model state in child safety and women empowerment through proactive prevention.

Addressing the gathering, Prajwala founder and Padma Shri awardee Sunitha Krishnan spoke of the grim realities faced by trafficking victims. She said technology has made everyone vulnerable and revealed that 25 to 30 per cent of trafficked girls contract HIV, besides suffering severe physical and psychological trauma. Rehabilitating victims into normal life remains a major challenge, as evidenced by experiences in shelter homes.Citing government data, she said nearly 30 lakh people fall victim to trafficking every year, with children accounting for about 45 per cent.

Trafficking, Sunitha noted, extends beyond prostitution to include child labour, illegal adoptions and organ trade. She recalled that Andhra Pradesh was the first state in the country to introduce an anti-human trafficking policy in 2003 and praised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for his continued support in combating the menace.

Several senior officials and representatives from allied departments and NGOs attended the programme.