Rajasthan Royals back new anti-trafficking initiative in India
June 14, 2019
The British Asian Trust, the leading South Asian diaspora development organisation founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, announced a new partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) to launch a media driven mass awareness campaign to combat child-trafficking in India.
The partnership is backed by leading Jaipur-based Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team the Rajasthan Royals, who have a long-standing relationship with the British Asian Trust. Last year, England and Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ben Stokes visited projects in Jaipur, to show support for its campaign to end child labour in the city.
According to an International Labour Organization study, there are 5.8 million children working in forced labour in India and it is estimated that there are more than 150,000 new instances of human trafficking in South Asia every year, leaving women and children particularly exposed to abuse and sexual exploitation.
The British Asian Trust is determined that this has to stop. It is using fresh thinking and innovative solutions - engaging technology and working with businesses - to champion child-labour-free practices and remove the demand for forced labour and protect those at risk.
This includes the introduction of a certification for Child Labour Free products made in Jaipur and the launch of a child-labour awareness campaign in the city.
The announcement was made at the star-studded fundraiser, A Wicket Night of Comedy, an Exclusive Night of Cricket and Comedy, on 7 June at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Funds raised were matched by CIFF and will be used to scale up the British Asian Trust’s anti-trafficking programme in India and to develop a mass awareness campaign to combat child trafficking.
Cricket legends, including Shane Warne, MS Dhoni, Steve Smith, Graeme Smith and many others, attended the event at the Long Room at Lord’s hosted by Trust Ambassador and actor Nitin Ganatra. The were entertained by British stand-up comedian, actor and radio presenter, Nish Kumar.
“Cricket has a huge role to play as both a catalyst for change and as a force for good. As a brand ambassador of the Rajasthan Royals I have seen first-hand the difference that resources and awareness campaigns can make on the ground in Jaipur,” said Warne.
Since 2012, the British Asian Trust has supported over 18,000 children and young women in India who were particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation, building their resilience to abuse and trafficking and offering rehabilitation for victims.
Chief Executive of the British Asian Trust, Richard Hawkes stated: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with CIFF to support our anti-trafficking programmes. By combining resources and building awareness through a media driven mass awareness campaign to combat child trafficking, we will be able to significantly step up our activity in India and provide a massive boost to our ambition to save tens of thousands of children from a life in slavery.”