Trafficking of Minor Girls for Commercial Sexual Exploitation in India: A Synthesis of Available Evidence

Globally, the number of adults and children who are trafficked for forced labour, bonded labour or commercial sexual exploitation is estimated to be about 12 million. Though India has made several commitments towards eliminating human trafficking and has ratified a number of international treaties, trafficking of women and minor girls for commercial sexual exploitation continues to be widespread. Understanding factors that place minor girls at risk of being trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and the consequences of trafficking for their health and life-course trajectories is limited by the scattered evidence that is available on these issues. The objective of this report is to present a synthesis of available evidence on the trafficking of girls for commercial sex exploitation in India, particularly those in the ages of 10–17 years.