A senior Indian police officer has been given a prestigious award in the US in recognition of his tireless efforts in fight against human trafficking.
Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat has been recognised with the prestigious Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Hero award. Bhagwat, who who currently serves as Commissioner of Police of Rachakonda in Telangana, was presented the award in absentia by the US First Lady Melania Trump yesterday.
He has participated in anti-trafficking operations that have removed hundreds of victims from situations of trafficking and, with the help of other government departments and civil society organisations, has ensured their placement in support programmes, the State Department said.
"We are sorry that Bhagwat was unable to join us today, but would like to recognise him for his dynamic leadership in combatting modern slavery in India, his vital role in elevating human trafficking as a government priority, and his innovative approach to investigating cases and dismantling trafficking operations," said Susan Coppedge, the Ambassador- at-Large for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the award ceremony.
The First Lady and the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were present at the awards ceremony held at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.
In all eight persons from across the world were presented with this prestigious annual award of the US.
In his remarks, Tillerson said the State Department's 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report exposes human trafficking networks and holds their operators and their accomplices accountable.
The focus of this year's report is governments' responsibilities under the Palermo Protocol to criminalise human trafficking in all its forms and to prosecute offenders, he said.
"We urge the 17 countries that are not a party to the international Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons to reconsider their position and to join the other countries who have made that commitment," Tillerson said.
Today, globally, it's estimated that there are 20 million victims of human trafficking.
"So, clearly, we have a lot of work to do and governments around the world have a lot of work to do," he said.
In her remarks the First Lady said human trafficking is a pervasive human rights issue affecting millions, no matter their gender, age,or nationality.
It is often a profoundly secret crime.
"One of the greatest challenges is to merely identify those trapped in modern slavery. Even conservative estimates conclude that some 20 million people around the world, including right here in the United States, are trapped in human trafficking situations, terrible circumstances of exploitation, including so many young girls and boys who are victims of unthinkable tragedy of child sex trafficking," Melania said.
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