The Question of Human Trafficking: A Comparative Analysis of Singapore and India’s Adoption of the UN TIP Protocol
Abstract
Human trafficking remains one of the major problems in today’s world, with Southeast Asia being a significantly large hub for such crimes. Singapore, a developed country and a previously notorious transit hub, has put in place strict measures, which include the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act of 2015 that imposes stiff penalties on traffickers, including imprisonment and fines, to prevent trafficking-related offenses in the country. This has led to a successful campaign against trafficking and a consequent considerable decrease in cases within the country. Meanwhile, India faces a larger-scale problem, with trafficking being deeply entrenched in socio-economic disparities. The Trafficking of Persons Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation Bill, 2018, is considered to be India's big ticket legislation against trafficking. Yet, the act contains vagueness and regressive components. Together with remaining challenges in enforcement and victim protection, trafficking pervades the country. This paper will conduct an in-depth review of human trafficking in Singapore and India, focusing on a comparison of respective laws and overall situations. This paper also examines the unintended consequences of some provisions in India's Bill, 2018, such as immunity clauses that could discourage victims coming forward in cases of trafficking. The paper concludes with realistic and implementable recommendations for improving enforcement, victim support, and international cooperation to further combat human trafficking, backed by a significant research review.
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