FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 96 “Child” means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years and thus defines child in sync with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 and does away with the various prevailing definition of a child in the region. Scope and Offences The purpose of the SAARC Convention is to promote cooperation amongst Member States so that they may effectively deal with the various aspects of prevention, interdiction and suppression of trafficking in women and children. The Convention also calls for repatriation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking and prevents the use of women and children in international prostitution networks, particularly where the countries of SAARC region are the countries of origin, transit and destination245. The Convention criminalizes trafficking and declares it as an offence punishable by appropriate penalties. The Convention obligates the State Parties to punish any person who keeps, maintains or manages or knowingly finances or takes part in the financing of a place used for the purpose of trafficking or knowingly lets or rents a building or other place for the purpose of trafficking246. The Convention further makes provision for stricter punishment on account of factual circumstances, which make the Commission of offences particularly grave247. Judicial Proceedings and Mutual Legal Assistance The Convention obligates the judicial authorities in Member States to ensure confidentiality of identity of the child and women is maintained and to provide appropriate counseling and legal assistance248. The State Parties are also under obligation to grant to each other the widest measure of mutual legal assistance in respect of investigations, inquiries, trials or other proceedings in requesting State in respect of offences under the Convention. Requests for assistance needs to be executed promptly in accordance with national laws of a Member State249. 245 Ibid, Art II. 246 Ibid, Art III. 247 Ibid, Art IV. 248 Ibid, Art V. 249 Ibid, Art VI.