Walk Free Foundation defends its report
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 7
After Union Minister for Child and Women Development Maneka Gandhi shot down the Global Slavery Index report brought out by Walk Free Foundation, the Australian-based NGO has come out in defense of the report claiming that statistical data had been collected and analysed minutely to help the government formulate informed policies.
The report has put India on top with 183 lakh slaves. The foundation claimed that the survey had exponentially increased the amount of primary data, which was now available to formulate policies on this issue.
Pushpendra Dhansoia, senior director strategic communications, said the India section of the Global Slavery Index-2016 report was drawn on random sample and face-to-face interviews conducted by Gallup across 15 states of India. He claimed that this was a strong method for conducting research on the hidden issue.
“The survey questions were carefully designed and tested to ensure that they differentiate between regular work and work that has been forced and maintained through violence or other coercive means,” Dhansoia asserted.
He said the report made a clear distinction between domestic work and forced labour of domestic workers and could be used for formulating future policies to free labourers.
He said the Government of India had shown its commitment in combatting modern slavery and the Draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016, reflected on the considerable efforts being put in by the government, which were quite commendable.
He said the foundation was now looking forward to continuing dialogue with the government on this issue. The report of the foundation had placed India on the top with 183 lakh slaves in the country, which was shot down by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi as baseless and devoid of facts.
