Role of the Palermo Protocol in Shaping Indian Human Trafficking Laws

Author(s)	Mr. Anant Vaibhav, Dr. Ashish Kumar Shukla
Country	India
Abstract	This paper examines the role of the Palermo Protocol in shaping the evolution of Indian anti-trafficking law. It argues that the Protocol has served as a significant normative influence in moving Indian law away from a narrow, morality-based understanding of trafficking toward a broader framework centered on exploitation, victim protection, and state responsibility. The paper first analyzes the limitations of the pre-Palermo legal position in India, particularly the fragmented penal framework and the prostitution-centered orientation of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. It then considers the conceptual contribution of the Palermo Protocol, especially its definitional clarity and the framework of prevention, protection, and prosecution. The paper further traces the judicial internalization of these norms in India and examines subsequent legislative efforts to formulate a comprehensive anti-trafficking statute. It concludes that, although the Protocol has substantially influenced legal and policy discourse, important institutional and implementation gaps continue to limit the full realization of its objectives.
Keywords	Palermo Protocol, Human Trafficking, Victim Protection, Legislative Reform
Field	Sociology > Administration / Law / Management
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-04-05
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i02.73731

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