I was happy to finally meet Vidhu and Arathi face-to-face this morning, after having many telephone and online conversations over the last few weeks. They have done an amazing job meeting with, organizing, and documenting their experiences with the families of workers in Kerala.
They, along with Anannya and the rest of the staff at the offices of Society for Labour and Development have also been busily preparing themselves for the event tomorrow.
The conference, entitled “International Labour Trafficking: New Challenges, Fresh Thinking,” is the 1st time in India, where labor migration is being looked at as a bi-national issue between the US and India. Organizers intend this forum to allow attendees to take a look at Indian and US laws, government and court responsibilities, and short & long-term interventions. Participants include lawyers, international labor organizations, labor representatives, and families.
The goal of the conference is to come out with specific recommendations for legislative change, as well as create an interest in Public Interest Litigation in India.
Some scenes from the office are below.
