Overview

• NGOs Vimukthi, HELP and others met in Vijayawada on July 29 to highlight dormant anti-trafficking cells and press the Andhra Pradesh government for reforms ahead of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
• Half of the state’s 26 districts lack Anti-Human Trafficking Units and the remaining 13 have not registered a single case in the past three years.
• Data from the National Crime Records Bureau show that Andhra Pradesh recorded 1,396 human trafficking cases and rescued 2,119 victims between 2016 and 2022.
• Despite high case registrations, only 8% of prosecutions ended in convictions, with accused traffickers often acquitted.
• Survivor-led groups urged the government to deploy staff and resources to AHTUs, mandate timely charge sheets and publish case data online.