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[GENEVA, 31 March 2010] - A new report by UNICEF reveals that cases of children being trafficked or sold are rarely registered in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The report also highlights significant variations in how different parties view child migration, child exploitation, trafficking, the sale of children, and issues of force and coercion in these processes. Social dislocation and high levels of socio-economic inequality have an impact on children’s lives and their decision to undertake hazardous migration and labour. While migration has been recognised as a positive ‘shock absorber’ in times of crisis, it clearly exposes children to new risks of exploitation and abuse. It is crucial to understand and anticipate what children may want and need, and why they may be easily deceived or coerced into being exploited or into following a trafficker. Reducing the need for children to resort to work or migrate by developing strong social protection systems, and preventing hazardous child labour through monitoring employers and providing clear incentives for children to attend schools, should be the backbone of any sound anti-child trafficking policy. In addition, appropriate age and gender interventions are needed. This means developing respectful procedures and services in which both child victims and children at risk can have their views taken into account. Blanket interventions that centre on police raids, removal and institutionalisation of children at risk have been found to exacerbate vulnerability rather than enhance resiliency in the face of abuse, trafficking and exploitation. Against this background, the criminal nature of child exploitation, including trafficking, must not be downplayed. It is essential that legislation is enforced and sentences are applied. For this purpose, potential traffickers and the judiciary must know the law and the general public must be aware of its rights and responsibilities vis-a-vis child trafficking. By engaging in or supporting the perpetuation of social and cultural practices that discriminate against or contribute to the neglect, abuse and exploitation of children, communities and state institutions are creating a pool of children who are vulnerable to trafficking in Central Asia. The findings and factors highlighted in this report point to the structural obstacles and systemic difficulties in acknowledging and adequately responding to child trafficking. Such challenges must be addressed at sub-regional, national and local levels. It is hoped that this report will contribute to reassessing interventions to prevent protect children from exploitation, including trafficking, in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Further information