Forced Into Bonded Labor at the Age of 7, He is Finally Free
Labor Trafficking
TAMIL NADU, INDIA – On June 24, 2024 The government rescued a 19-year-old man who spent his entire childhood working as a bonded laborer at a goat farm. He was only 7 years old when his parents left him to work at the farm to repay their debts. For the next 12 years, he was forced to work in exploitative conditions, could not return home and lost contact with his parents.
The government led the rescue operation with support from a local organization named Child Voice, which is a part of a coalition of NGOs called Shout For Freedom, that works to address human trafficking in Tamil Nadu. Officials cancelled the young man’s debts by issuing a Release Certificate.
The State Program Director of Tamil Nadu, T. Kuralamuthan stated, “It is heartening to see the perseverance of Shout for Freedom Coalition’s organization, Child Voice. The head of Child Voice worked alongside the local government to follow the standard operating procedure of the bonded labor identification process. In this case the laborer was exploited for over 12 years, and he has lost his entire childhood to the exploitative nature of bonded labor crime. The young man will now be taking baby steps in his newfound life in freedom.”
The government, in consultation with Child Voice and IJM, will work together to extend ongoing rehabilitation support to the young survivor.
In June, three successful rescue operations were led in Tamil Nadu, indicating a steady increase in the government’s efforts to protect vulnerable people from violence. In all these cases, government authorities welcomed support from local NGOs in addressing these bonded labor cases. IJM in Tamil Nadu is working to empower organizations across the state to work with local governments and equip them to respond to bonded labor cases effectively.
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