We are thrilled to announce the launch of the AHTU Watch Report (2010–2025)!
The completion of the third phase of this longitudinal research endeavour marks an important milestone in understanding how Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) function across India and what this means for survivors’ access to justice.
Spanning fifteen years and three phases of research, the study combines RTI data, field observations, key informant interviews, and survivor testimonies to examine whether the institutional vision for AHTUs has translated into meaningful on-ground outcomes.
The report comes at a timely moment. Across three phases of AHTU Watch research, recurring gaps in implementation, coordination, training, and accountability have highlighted why trafficking cases require dedicated Anti-Human Trafficking Units. Several of these same concerns are also reflected in the Ministry of Home Affairs Annual Report 2024–25, pointing to a shared understanding of what effective anti-trafficking systems require.
Central to this effort is a human and survivor-centred approach. Rather than viewing survivors solely as beneficiaries of interventions, the study recognises them as rights-holders whose lived experiences offer critical insight into how justice systems actually function. Survivor testimonies are therefore not supplementary to the research; they are essential to understanding the strengths, gaps, and realities of anti-trafficking responses. By integrating survivor voices into the evaluation of justice systems, the study assesses anti-trafficking mechanisms through the experiences of those who navigate them directly.
The report documents both areas of progress and persistent systemic gaps in staffing, coordination, transparency, resource allocation, and access to justice. It also highlights the importance of institutional accountability and transparency in strengthening anti-trafficking responses. Ultimately, the findings contribute to ongoing efforts to build systems that are more responsive, accountable, and grounded in the dignity, agency, and rights of survivors.
