Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: 7 May 2002 - Millions of children are
in slavery. Girls as young as six work
as maids in the Philippines, children
break rocks in Ghana's quarries,
young boys are abducted from their
homes in South Asia and forced to be
camel jockeys in the United Arab
Emirates and girls are forced into
prostitution in the United Kingdom
Millions of children are in slavery. Girls as young as six work as
maids in the Philippines, children break rocks in Ghana's quarries,
young boys are abducted from their homes in South Asia and
forced to be camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates and girls
are forced into prostitution in the United Kingdom.
The United Nations General Assembly is holding a Special Session
on Children from 8 to 10 May. Heads of government, senior
officials, as well as representatives from non-governmental
organisations will decide what steps need to be taken in order to
improve children's lives and assess progress made since the
1990 World Summit for Children. Despite commitments made ten
years ago, child slavery is growing. One area of particular concern
is trafficking.
"Hundreds of thousands of children are being enslaved through
trafficking. Governments need to make combating this abuse a
priority and ensure that the best interests of the children are at
the centre of any anti-trafficking policy if the fight against
trafficking is to be effective," Mary Cunneen Director of
Anti-Slavery says.
Governments around the world need to demonstrate political will
in protecting children. International law developed to protect
children, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which
the United States and Somalia have yet to ratify, and the
International Labour Organization's Worst Forms of Child Labour
Convention No. 182 need to be ratified and universally enforced.
The key forces that lie at the root of this exploitation also need to
be addressed, such as poverty, if children are going to be safe
from slavery and work that is harmful to their health and well-
being.