Members Dr. Charu WaliKhanna and Shamina Shafiq toured Sikkim to study best practices in Prevention of Trafficking. They were Chief Guest at programme on 12.06.2014 organied by SJE&WD at Conference Hall, Lumsey 5th Mile Tadong, East Sikkim. The Chairperson, Sikkim State Commission for Women delivering the welcome address said Sikkim is a small state comprising of 4 districts with population of only 6;10577 out of which 287507, are female and 3,23,070 are male, the sex ratio being 890 females per 1000 males, as per census of 2011. She proudly stated the Sikkimese women enjoy a status of equal rights and opportunities and in a far reaching move, 50% of seats have been reserved for women in all Panchayat elections. Unique schemes like widow remarriage, pension to unmarried women (between ages 45-59 years) have also been implemented. She said that Sikkim is also the 1st state to extend all government benefits in the name of the mother of a family and it is mandatory to write the names of both father and mother in all official documents. It is the 1st state that has made it a legal requirement to have the consent of both the husband and wife while purchasing/selling immovable property. She also said that Sikkim has achieved 100% sanitation programme and it is near achieving, the target of providing LPG connections to all BLP families.

In the interactive session questions relating to problems of minority women and trafficking were addressed to members NCW.

Members visited the shelter home Mamtalaya run by an NGO under the Short Stay Home (SSH) scheme of Central Social Welfare Board and interacted with the girls between the age group of 15 -35 who live together in one premises. The girls had similar stories, in the sense that most of them were victims of domestic violence i.e. abuse by father, did not have a mother and violence against them by their father was mainly due to alcohol or provocation by step mother. There was also a seven month pregnant 15 year old girl who had been sexually abused by a family friend. It was heartening to know that one of the girls is being given training as a security guard and will be appointed to the post so that she becomes economically empowered and moves on in her life. Another positive feature was the interaction with a girl who had been continuously abused by an army person for many years and rescued by the NGO accompanying the Commission. Mr.Nirnay said that she seemed well adjusted and appeared to have recovered from the traumatic experience. The state of Sikkim has not appointed independent Protection Officer and there are 8 Service Providers. The Principal Secretary SJE&WD assured the Commission that a separate Ujjawala Home will be set up by the end of this Year.

Members accompanied by Mr.Nirnay John Chetri, a member of Raid and Rescue NGO Sikkim chapter, met the Hon’bleGovernor Shiriniwas Patil at Raj Bhawan and . During the interaction, the Commission members apprised the Governor that their visit to Sikkim was a part of the Commission’s efforts to document the best practices so that they can be emulated in other parts of the country. Dr.CharuWaliKhanna also mentioned that there is a persistence threat of human trafficking specially of women from weaker section of society in the name of providing education and better care. She expressed her happiness that despite bounded by international borders on three sides, Sikkim has been able to check the menace of human trafficking. Sikkim has established itself as a State which is relatively safer for women than any other state in the country. She also mentioned that the she has observed in her visit that the practice of deployment of women police in various public places and interior police posts in the state has contributed to the safwty of women. The Governor mentioned that despite less population, Sikkim has a tradition where maximum freedom and respect is given to women folk. The status of women in Sikkim’s society is higher than the rest of the country.
On 13.06.2014 in order to study the functioning of the police station, Members made surprise check of two police station, one being centrally located in a market place and the other one in a remote rural area. Members inspected Singhtam Police Station about two hour away from Sikkim. They interacted with the SHO Mr.Parsu Sharma and sub Inspector Ms.Tshering Dome and other police persons. The Commission was informed that most of the cases related to theft since the area has a floating population of migrant labour. In the year 2014 two rape cases had been reporting. The first related to the accused having entered the house of the victim with the intension to commit theft and raped her. It was almost a blind case and the accused was identified by his jacket and alertness of the patrolling police. The other case related to a 4 year old girl who was sexually assaulted by a drunk man. On being asked what action was taken the members were informed that statement of the child has been taken before the CJM.

The Commission specifically asked the police as to whether they face any problem while getting the medical examination done to which the reply was that there is no problem and there is always a lady doctor available at the PHC and many lady doctors in the hospital. Members proceeded to Temi Police Station, East District. This is a rural area but the police station have all the latest equipments and vehicles. Out of a staff of 17 persons there are 3 women in the Police Station, one of whom had been designated as Juvenile officer. Interestingly enough the police station have 17 persons and only 17 cases have been registered since January, 2014 mostly accident and theft. The SHO said that regularly training is conducted on anti trafficking, CWC and the procedures to be followed. Here also most of the cases reported related to theft and accident cases . However, they have been 3 cases of rape – one was the sexual assault of a 7 year old girl by a migrant labour. Her medical examination was conducted immediately at Namchi Medical Hospital where there are many lady doctors. And the other two cases related to minor girls been sexually assaulted and lured by adult neighbour.

The SHO informed the Commission that the cases of wife beating under influence of alcohol are on the arise and often the police has to act as peace maker.

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