Child Trafficking in South Asian Countries: Sex Trade and Physical Labour - Essay Example

The growing count and the ever increasing graphs reflected by the global statistics on child trafficking is a serious sign of how socially and morally sick is our society. The international law as cited in the Article 3 of the “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, along with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000) describes child trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation” (ECPAT, 2001). It is so sad to digest the fact the bracket of children victimized by child trafficking is on increase globally. Child trafficking is not only the violation of the basic fundamental rights of the children but also the cruelty imparted towards the integrity of the next generation. The most important fact is that it rips of the precious childhood of theirs and prevents them from having a healthy loving family environment. While the socially and economically deprived kids get forcibly indulged into the racket of trafficking, what they loose is their future and also their right to live free. It would be surprising to know that some of the statistics estimates that almost 1.2 million children are trafficked every year (UNICEF, 2008). This high count of children very sadly fills the labor requirements in many nations and more sadly they are sexually exploited. While putting thought through the viewpoint of these children and their parents, it is the dream of a better place to live and prosperous employment opportunities that fetch them into the trap. Child trafficking is legally classified as a criminal activity including corruption and human rights via lotion in many of the countries. There are several social and moral aspects which are continued as an aftermath of trafficking. A serious one among them is that the victims at time get arrested and the legalities of the country does not discriminate them from the other criminals which would prompt them to live with an immoral and criminal record. Resultantly, they get segregated from the society as antisocial elements. However, the legal setups existing in many of the nations have helped to limit the possibility of trafficking from happening. On the other side the lack of proper monitoring when summed up with the unfavorable living conditions for the rural poor makes some of the countries the hubs of child trafficking. This essay specially emphasizes on the child trafficking activities happening in South Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines. Various factors allied with the trafficking and the agencies in action to control this social menace. Literatures available which are published from different corners of the world have been referred to gather information on the subjects of relevance. The nature of exploitation Before getting into the details of the cruelties being forced upon children and before getting in depth into the complexities of child trafficking, it is important to understand the global trend in child trafficking and the way children are being exploited variably in different social realms. The convention on the rights of child has defined a child as person who is of an age below 18 years except in cases where the achievement of maturity occurs earlier as per the legality of the respective nation (ECPAT, 2001). However, in general the globally accepted age for being an adult is 18. Though this age factor would seem to be of a formal language, it is important while analyzing child trafficking as this would refer to many factors which are determinants of trafficking including the age of sexual consent, the legal age for formal work etc. It is these factors which determine cruelties under child trafficking from the deeds of self consent. In the case of age of sexual consent, it varies from country to country. This is also different in the case of genders in several countries. Most importantly, it is these factors which help the constitution of legal checks against child trafficking. An international consensus on such legal regulations is the need of the hour so that international agencies working in the line of constraining child trafficking can have strong legal interferences. The children who are trafficked by force and in promise of better living conditions end up in having exploited in various levels. The exploitations range in various levels according to the situations and socio-economic conditions. This can include sexual exploitation in various forms, forced labor, slavery, servitude or the removal of organs (ECPAT, 2001). While taking into account of the global scenario of global child trafficking various agencies have identified a number of reasons for which the children are trafficked. It has been estimated that almost close to one and a half thousand babies are trafficked from Guatemala each year to be adopted by parents in North America and Europe (UNICEF, 2008). Young girls from Asia and Eastern Europe are trafficked to be exploited as “mail-order brides”. This runs the risk of the children getting exposed to violence as most of them are even as young as 13 years old (UNICEF, 2008). In the case of West and Central Africa, a large number of children are trafficked for domestic work and they also get sexually exploited. Interestingly, 90 percent of these children are girls who are forced to work in the local shops and farms (UNICEF, 2008). Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Gabon are host to the trafficking of children from Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Benin and Nigeria are both source and destination for child trafficking. The wider network of the criminals involved in trafficking is exposed while referring to the fact that children from Africa are even trafficked to distances even as far as the Middle East and Europe (UNICEF, 2008). Global statistics confirm that most of the child trafficking ends up in sexual exploitation. The sexual exploitation includes a variety of cruelties including pornography, sex tourism and prostitution. The complexity of the issue is confirmed from the fact that almost 30 to 35 percent of sex workers in the Mekong sub-region of Southeast Asia belongs to an age group of 12 to 17 (UNICEF, 2008). As the case in Mexico goes, their social service agency confirms that more than 16,000 children are involved in prostitution (UNICEF, 2008). 20 to 50 percent of Lithuania’s prostitutes are minors even as young as 11 years. Even children of age 10 to 12 are largely used for pornographic proposes (UNICEF, 2008). In the case of Thailand, the major count of exploitation of trafficked children is happening for the cause of sex and labor. There are internationally linked and highly organized illegal agencies who are involved in trafficking children to different countries. The economic scenario existing in the country leaves families to have huge debts to these agencies. In order to pay this off children are forced to take up involuntary servitude. This later leads to labor exploitation and prostitution. The country also has observed internal trafficking of children forcing them to get involved in sexual exploitation. Additionally they are exploited in the industries like commercial fisheries, farm, industrial, and construction (AED, 2006 a). Interestingly, Thailand is an attractive host for child trafficking as well. A lot of children are trafficked into Thailand to be exploited sexually and physically. The growth in the tourism industry has caused this development to a major count. Children are also trafficked into the country and forced to do begging, fishing and fish processing (AED, 2006 a). However, a number of families from the neighboring countries voluntarily migrate to this country to get engaged in the labor involved in farming, industrial units, construction industry, fishing industry and even for begging and to work as servants (AED, 2006 a). As far as Malaysia is concerned the major mode of exploitation happens sexually as far as the trafficked children are concerned. Labor exploitation is another major area of concern in Malaysia as well. The scenario in Malaysia is very much similar as that of Thailand as far the exploitation of the child traffickers are concerned. The exploitation trend of child traffickers in Philippines should be read together with the fact that it is the fourth among the ranking of countries with most number of child sex workers. It has around 60,000 to 100000 children who are actively involved in prostitution (IRC, 2005). This trend is again promoted by the scope of the country as a tourism destination. Interestingly the high priority destination, Cebu is among the five destinations with most of child prostitution. Internal trafficking of children to this area is also very common for the same cause (IRC, 2005). Children from Philippines are also trafficked internationally mainly to be sexually exploited. However, the international child trafficking from Philippines also includes labor exploitation. Many children are taken to the Middle East as domestic workers (IRC, 2005). The target group and the causes The socio-economic instability is the root cause to the increasing menace of child trafficking. In the context of the South Asian countries which are discussed in this essay, the socially and economically deprived class is the major target group. In the case of Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines there are well organized agencies which coordinate the business of child trafficking. The children and their families get into the trap of these people basically due to the reason that they would have taken a loan from these agencies which they generally fail to pay back due to the economic instability. When the promise of an employment opportunity and better living conditions merge with this factor, children end up in getting trafficked both domestically and internationally (IRC, 2005). As far these countries are concerned their global presence as a tourist designation and boom of the hospitality business add flavor to the situation. Tribal population and other socially backward classes are highly targeted in the trafficking business as far as the case all the three countries goes. However, this trend is quite general globally. Recent developments in the economic, political, social and military setups of various nations have also facilitated the promotion of child trafficking. There had been international delegations on child trafficking which has defined the Input, Supply and Impunity with reference to the exploitation of children in reference to trafficking. The breakdown of moral values in the South Asian countries, especially in Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines has acted as key factor in promoting child trafficking. Many of the literatures available in the context of child trafficking have confirmed poverty as an important determinant factor in the growth of child trafficking as an organized activity. Cultural dysfunctions are another factor pointed out by the scientific review done on this subject. The gender inequality is one among such Cultural dysfunctions. In the case of Philippine culture, it allows men to be polygamous and promiscuous (IRC, 2005). This culture tends them to search for newer mates every time which even gets children get involved forcibly in sex. Ritualistic beliefs in these countries again promote child sex. One of the examples is that sex with a virgin restores virility (IRC, 2005). These cultural factors have been highly influential in the promotion of child trafficking (IRC, 2005). In addition to all these factors, the in efficiency of the regulatory agencies has hindered the prevention of such activities which in turn accelerated child trafficking. There is an argument that the relative affluence in the Greater Sub-Mekong Region in Thailand has promoted it as a destination for human trafficking (AED, 2006). While classifying the target groups of child trafficking, Thailand serves as destination for children from Burma, China, Cambodia, Laos, Russia, and Uzbekistan (AED, 2006). As far as Malaysia is concerned it targets children from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, and the China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to be trafficked into the nation (AED, 2008). In the case of Philippines its inward child trafficking targets children from People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.), South Korea, Japan, and Russia. The trafficking destinations Certain socio economic situations make particular destinations friendly for child trafficking. As explained in the previous section children from different countries are trafficked into Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. The feasible exploitation opportunities masqueraded as employment opportunities make these countries to be attractive for the agents involved in the trafficking business. As far as the outbound child trafficking from Malaysia is concerned, the flow is much less in comparison with the inbound trafficking. A few numbers of children are taken to Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the United States mainly for the cause of sexual exploitation. Statistics suggest that most of this population belong to the children of Chinese origin. Giving way to a better hope, the statistics suggest that only less hundred people including the elders were trafficked outside Malaysia in the year 2006. This is a clear indication of decline in the count of outbound trafficking from Malaysia. As far as Thailand is concerned most of the outbound child trafficking happens to Australia, Bahrain Canada Europe, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, , Singapore and the United States. In this case, tribal children and women from the hilly region of Thailand are hugely targeted to be involved in trafficking. Most of the children are taken to these countries to be exploited sexually and to be used as cheaply paid manpower. Highly organized syndicates are involved in this business. The labor recruiting agencies working all across Thailand facilitate child trafficking to countries like America, Taiwan, Malaysia and the countries in Middle East for involuntary servitude. As in the case of other countries, the economic backwardness of the children and their families are exploited by these labor brokers to allegedly recruit them across the border. Children are also taken to places within Thailand and exploited badly. From the Northeast and the North of Thailand children and women are taken to the places like Bangkok. This place being a tourist hub makes it an ideal stage for the allied activities of trafficking. However, as in the case of Malaysia, the internal trafficking as per the statistics available has declined to a substantial count. Philippines also find a lot of children targeted for outbound trafficking activities. Most of these children are exploited for labor and sexual exploitation. The destinations of outbound child trafficking from Philippines as per the available records includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Africa, North America, and Europe. Most tragically the statistics of children trafficked from Philippines even counts up to a hundred thousand. Regulations The need for putting a stop over child trafficking has been felt as an importance by the global community. Various governments across the globe have strictly amended their immigration rules so as to prevent the possibilities of illegal trafficking of children. There had been substantial improvement in linkages and collaborations between different countries to prevent child trafficking. Care has been taken to amend and strengthen these rules with high priority to the security of social and moral values. A regulation on child trafficking would involve a set of rules to have proper control over all the possible allied activities of child trafficking. Thailand government has since quite long realized the need to put a check on the increasing count of child trafficking and allied activities. Way back in 1996, the Government of Thailand adopted “National Policy and Plan of Action for the Prevention and Eradication of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children” (ECPAT, 2006 b) The realistic intention of the government was reiterated as they implemented the policy in coalition with the civil society and other international organizations. The involvement of National Commission on Women’s Affairs also added quality to the implementation. The resultant strict regulations corroborated the policy to be successful as it could enforce five new additions to the legislation in the area of sexual exploitation of children. These five acts included “The 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, The 1997 Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Women and Children Act, The 1977 Penal Code Amendment Act (No. 14), The 1999 Criminal Procedure Amendment Act and The 1999 Money Laundering Control Act” (ECPAT, 2006 b). The government followed a generic approach later in 1999, with a wider perspective focusing both women and children as a number of laws were created in this context. National Youth Bureau was enforced in 1999 to have a super check over the sexual exploitation of children and young persons commercially (ECPAT, 2006b). As a backup plan for the policy formulated earlier in 1996, “The National Plan and Policy on Prevention and Resolution of Domestic and Cross Border Trafficking in Children and Women (2002-2000)” (ECPAT, 2006 b) This had a good allocation in terms of budget and was set with broader plans for prevention. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has also been held responsible to control Trafficking in Children and Women. In the case of governmental regulations to control child trafficking in Philippines, the country has set up The Council for the Welfare of Children which has the responsibility of carrying out the commitment of the country in relation with child welfare (CWC, 2006). The governmental policies have been aligned with the declarations of various international conventions on the context like that of Stockholm Agenda for Action (ECPAT, 2006 a). In addition to this “Framework for Action against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (2000-2004)”, was set by the government which urges the local governmental agencies to plan the mode of action against child trafficking (DoJ, 2006). The Philippine government also has setup a Special Committee for the Protection of Children (SCPC) so as to regulate the countrywide implementation of Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (DoJ, 2006). This committee works in close collaboration of the Department of Justice in developing the implementation plan. With relevance to the regulations on child trafficking, the government of Malaysia in particular does not have rules to identify the victims of trafficking and to subsequently provide them with rehabilitation measures. However so as to ensure the security of girls within the country, the government of Malaysia has enacted Women and Girls Protection Act, Act 106 (1973). Further specifically to ensure the prohibition of child trafficking and allied activities, the government specifically has The Child Act which particularly benefits children under 18. Well recognizing the role of the high interest money lending as trap leading to child trafficking, Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001has been enacted which is strong enough even to seize any businesses which allegedly get involved in child trafficking. There are other general rules included in the penal code and the immigration law which stops activities which would lead to trafficking. An ideal example for this is that the penal code prevents the sale or purchase of any person. The challenges in regulation The combined effect of determinants like social and economic factors makes the implementation of any prevention measure of child trafficking very complex. The cultural practices and the historically developed conceptions on different aspects including gender and sex add to the complexity. The international network of the well organized criminals facilitating child trafficking makes the whole process hard to tackle (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). The impact of such syndicates is becoming stronger in places where they take advantage of the economic backwardness of people. The exploitation of children in modern scenarios makes use of the latest technologies including computers and internet. The utilization of children for pornography is one example for this. In these cases the limitations in cyber laws and adapting the policing policy with relevance to the technological innovations in internet pose a major challenge (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). Though the governmental policies of most of the South Asian governments which face the menace of child trafficking is purely offensive, some of the factors within the government and policy making agencies still consider that sexual service is a big promoting factor for tourism (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). Thus they do not consider prohibition of child trafficking as a priority against the economic development of the nation acquired through increased flow of tourists. The mixing up of voluntary migration and child trafficking also adds to the challenge. In addition to all these limitation in preventing child trafficking, the rules of the day are not comprehensive enough to tackle the situation. The extension of knowledge and the process of educating people on the relevance of the issue lack aggression. The extent of the knowledgebase is not substantive (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). The research has to more inclusive on the nature and trends of trafficking including the process, transit routes, operational structure etc. The corruption in the regulatory system is also a major challenge in the checking process (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). The efforts which are currently domestic in nature lack integration with the anti trafficking mechanism of other nations. The role of voluntary organizations There are a number of organizations which work in the lines of prevention of child trafficking in South Asian countries. Their role in raising awareness through campaigns, providing information and researching on solutions is substantial. The capacity building of the community done by the voluntary organizations can help in the participatory approach in preventive measures. In general the success in the operation of these organizations would be through proper coordination with local and central governmental agencies. In this context, the ideal role of the agencies would be to provide apt and relevant information to the government. Another major role of the agencies is in the rehabilitation of the victims. The international agencies which actively involve in the prevention of child trafficking include United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, ILO-IPEC, UNDP, International Organization of Migration (IOM), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), PLAN International and UNICEF (Matilac, & Florendo, 2002). The specific role of some of the important ones among these agencies has been detailed below. International Labor Organization (ILO) In the South Asian countries, the International Labor Organization is actively promoting programs to combat child trafficking. In Thailand, ILO is working along with Ministry of Labour (MOL) and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS). The highlight of the working mode of the organization is that it works in close association with national and local agencies like National Committee on Combating Trafficking in Children and Women and also with UN and other agencies working in the same line (AED, 2006 a). They are actively involved in research which pertains to the source, demand, destination and other factors of child trafficking. In the case of ILO in Philippines, it takes care of events to generate health and safety consciousness among child traffickers, elimination of child labor and also aims at proving secure social environment for marginalized workers (AED, 2006 a). UNICEF UNICEF makes active involvement in the area of prevention of child trafficking globally and specifically in the South Asian Nations. In Thailand, they intervene in the issue at a larger extend. They initiated the service in the line in 1993 through a helpline service aiding the rescue process of children (AED, 2006 a). They also actively facilitate police raids. The Youth Career development program of the UNDP currently operating in Thailand is an exemplary preventive program which ensures prevention through backup rehabilitation action. They work in coalition with many other agencies like FACE, ECPAT and ESCAP to help the cause (AED, 2006 a). UNICEF is quite active with their activities in Philippines as well. They have backup education programs like back-to-school schemes, life skills education, and vocational training. UNICEF provides rescue and recovery services in Philippines also as done in Thailand (AED, 2006 b). The organization trains social workers and strengthens the local network of agencies working against child trafficking. They also ensure justified legal services for the victims as well (AED, 2006 b). International Organization For Migration (IOM) IOM makes it presence through educating the public on child trafficking and other allied social menaces. In Philippines, they have released two video series titled “The Power to Choose – Health and Security” and “The Power to Choose” (AED, 2006 b). Radio play titled "Were so Syndicated Maam” and road plays are other examples of educational efforts by IOM (AED, 2006 b). However, in Thailand IOM takes more comprehensive projects towards the prevention of child trafficking. This includes programs to ensure the reintegration of the victims back into the society. They bring forth solutions towards this cause through extensively conducted researches. IOM, Bangkok is active with the capacity building measures of the national system that exists in child trafficking prevention (AED, 2006 a). Conclusion Child trafficking is confirmed to be a social menace since days dating back to history. South Asian countries are getting global attention as far the count of trafficking happening from these countries is concerned. Children are getting exploited in and outside the countries physically and mentally. Even small kids are not spared from to be used for sex trade and physical labor. An international level consensus has to be arrived at so as to wipe off this social menace from the society. The governmental agencies along with other local and international level organizations have to coordinate among themselves in the war against child trafficking. Also important is that the nations will have to integrate their regulatory measures. Governmental rules and regulations will have to be strengthened strictly ensuring that no child is allegedly commercially exploited. More research and campaigns will have to be initiated by both governmental and non governmental agencies. .Works Cited Academy for Educational Development, Thailand, 2006 a, Human Trafficking, 7 March 2009 Academy for Educational Development, Philippines, 2006 b, Human Trafficking, 7 March 2009, Council for the Welfare of Children. ‘Framework of Action against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: A Vision and Framework for Action, 2000-2004, Philippines, Council for the Welfare of Children., 2000 Department of Justice, 2006, ‘Special Committee for the Protection of Children’ ,Republic of Philippines, 7 March 2009 < http://www.doj.gov.ph/children1.html> ECPAT, “Global Report on the status of action against commercial sexual exploitation of children : Thailand” Saladaeng Printing Co.Bangkok, 2006 b. ECPAT, “Global Report on the status of action against commercial sexual exploitation of children : Philippines”, Saladaeng Printing Co. Bangkok, 2006 a ECPAT, Global Questions & Answers about the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Saladaeng Printing Co. Bangkok, 2001 IRC, “Wising up on sexual trafficking of women and children”, 2005, UNISEF Innocenti Research Centre, 7th March 2009, Matilac, Rosalie & Florendo, Regina “Child trafficking in Southeast Asia”, International Campaign Against Child Trafficking, 2002, Swiss Foundation of Terre des homes, 7th March , 2009, http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/icact_2002__child_trafficki.pdf UNISEF, Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse, 2008, UNISEF, 7 March 2009, http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_exploitation.html Read More