Exploitation of Children Known as Talibes in Senegal - Research Proposal Example

Exploitation of Children known as "Talibes" in Senegal

Introduction

Children have increasingly become more vulnerable to different forms of oppression and violence that tend to deprive them of many of their human rights. The degree at which exploitation of young people is spreading across continents is alarming as the children are perceived as the adults of the coming generations who will make influential societal decisions. Exploitation of children and the commercial use of children as laborious, sexual objects and involvement of children in other forms of trafficking are just but an outward presentation of the different forms of the exploitation of children. Of particular interest is the overwhelming exploitation of children in western Africa, especially in Senegal where a group of children known as “talibes” is exploited by the Qur’anic teachers (Marabout) placing the nation at the centre of discussion about child exploitation (Ford & Lenore, 2011). The aim of this project is to help minimize the exploitation of children in Senegal through the suggestion for the establishment of a children’s home to rescue the children from the daaras and enable them to establish new lives to restore their well-being, enable them access education and restore their freedom and happiness. Many NGO’s and other human rights activists have extended their hands into stopping children exploitation, but the biased approach applied has made minimal progress in the extinction of child abuse due to deep-rooted social-political elements that are biased towards certain regions or people. It is thus significant for the identification of such biases by the children’s rights activists in order to succeed in ending the exploitation of children. Moreover, I will resume to discussing the debate on the biases and determine the role that each pertinent party should play in achieving child freedom. The main aims of this project are the freedom and kinds of intervention, child empowerment and the participatory role of the local governments.

Project Description

Reasons for the Project

Developing countries have been associated with high cases of the violation of the rights of humans especially the children rights, and as well as being a backdrop to the economic development of such countries. International intervention and advocating for the rights of children has hit the rocks in trying to end the child labor problem and intervene in the freedom of children. Many young people are dropping out of school even without the completion of their primary studies in order to work on agricultural firms and perform other duties which can be termed as inhuman by the human rights advocates with the intentions of funding their families. Child trafficking and exploitation in Senegal has seen constant improvements over the years because of the increased vulnerability of the children with many studies revealing that the child exploitation in Senegal has developed from being a continental to a universal problem because of the intercontinental cases of immigration of children across its borders. According to the report by the United Nations, child trafficking for purposes of forced labor has seen a drastic increment especially in the African continent as well as the exploitation of children for child military purposes, using them in rituals and sourcing organs for children which can be revoked as a form of human brutality.

The western part of Africa especially Senegal has witnessed incremental progress in child exploitation and despite the efforts by human advocates and the international non-governmental organizations to decry this brutality, the cases have risen therefore posing a challenge about the future of the young generation in the country. The failure by such organizations and individuals to establish well-founded solutions to these problems has attributed to the failure to end children exploitation. Local empowerment is minimal in the nation, and therefore the lack of the intrinsic drive by the nation to realize the dangers to the future of the nation has resulted in minimal local efforts (Merrill, 2011). This project will, therefore, focus on the local and international efforts to establish homes for street children and the empowerment and education of the children about their rights and enabling them to pursue education as a useful tool for their future, and provide freedom to the children who are oppressed.

The Talibe Children in Senegal

Talibes are the people who study the Qur’an, and they are taught by their tutors knew as Marabout in designated places known as Daaras (Ford & Lenore, 2011). According to research, Senegal has witnessed great Islamic transition as a form of resistance to French colonization of the state. The Talibes are the vulnerable children aged between five years to fourteen years of age who live in far -away places from their families. The children mainly reside in the Senegalese capital of Dakar with a majority of them being of Senegalese origin and the others being immigrants from neighbouring countries such as the Guinea-Bissau.

The children are taken by the Islamic religious teachers and used as beggars on the streets for money and other resources for the daaras as well as exploiting them through other forms such as sexual violence and forced labor. The children find it very hard to fit back into society after the daaras because of their incapability to communicate through the nation’s official language which is French because they are taught the Muslim teachings in Islam. Additionally, the children might turn to other violent crimes such as robbery with violence and drug trafficking because of their incapability to fund their basic rights. The talibes have filled most of the streets of the Senegalese capital of Dakar begging for money and other items.

The Structure of the Project

In addition to the introductory statement of the project and the underlined reasons for the project, it also gives a brief background about the Talibes in Senegal and how they are exploited by their Muslim teachers into begging on the Streets of Dakar. Additionally, a literature review will be used to expand the key concepts of children exploitation in Senegal by outlining the different forms of exploitation, outlining the purported nature and impacts of child exploitation.

Furthermore, the project digs into the root causes of child exploitation such as poverty, inability to access quality education, the retorted cultures and religious practices, abuse, and violence in homesteads as well as the discrimination with regard to ethnicity. Thereafter, the present responses to the problem of child exploitation are evaluated, and recommendations made based on existing actions and proposed changes in the establishment of children homes for the children and enabling the children to gain access to substantial education and restoration of their freedom and well-being.

Research Methodology

Because of the complexity of the nature of the study, the project will apply a number of primary data gathering methods as well as a review of literature from the secondary sources. The primary data collection will include conducting interviews and asking direct questions to the victims and other people in the affected or unaffected areas. Further, I will carry out observation in order to get direct answers to my research questions. Due to the limitations of time in conducting the interviews and observation, I will distribute documented questionnaires to be filled about the case of child exploitation with listed questions that the respondents will have to fill. Thereafter, I will document the primary data by comparing and drawing relationships between the data and analysing them using existing secondary literature about the exploitation of children and finally drawing conclusions and recommendations for child exploitation in Senegal.

Problems and Risks in the Research

The project is likely to be limited by inadequate resources and capital to produce enough material for the project. Furthermore, the politicians in the country are likely to affect the progress of the project. Inadequate time to effectively carry out the project coped with increasing cases of exploitation will also affect the project. Illiteracy among a majority of people in Senegal and their inability to understand the importance of allowing and cooperating during the project because of their perceptions about the victims and their reluctance to accept them back into society will limit the success of the project. Furthermore, many of the victims might be reluctant to go to the children’s home because of their lack of understanding of the good will in taking them to the children’s home. Additionally, the project will be limited by the inadequate land and manpower for the project because of limited numbers of educators who would volunteer to teach the affected victims (Human Rights Watch, 2014).

The Forms of Children Exploitation in Senegal

According to the literature reviewed, the following forms of child exploitation were established as being existent in Senegal

Forced Begging

Forced child begging encompasses the coercion of children to beg through violent methods or threats of violence and other forms of inhuman coercion. The government has lacked the seriousness to tackle this problem and made it an increasing burden for national growth. In addition to begging on the local streets of the Senegalese capital, the children are also trafficked to other neighbouring countries such as the United States and other African states. The children are coerced into begging across regions and locally in order to provide money for the Muslim daaras with promises for some good but not wholly accomplished benefits of either attending boarding schools or joining universities (Andre & Jean-Luc, 2010).

Using Children for Commercial Sexual purposes

Most powerful individuals abuse their power through exploiting the vulnerability of children for their own selfish ambitions and using them as commercial sex objects. Such children re forced into prostitution locally and or trafficked to other nations to be used as sex slaves. The children are forced into prostitution at younger ages and used for the commercial gain after being trafficked either locally or internationally (Andre & Jean-Luc, 2010).

Exploitation of Children for Drug Trafficking

In Senegal, cases of child drug traffickers have been on the rise because of the vulnerability of the children through poverty and illiteracy among others. Such children are used to traffic illegal drugs in the country and to other neighbouring countries forcefully or for purposes of earning income to support their families (Melly, 2011).

Forced Labor

Most children are exploited to work as slaves and labourers either on big farms or in other areas where they are coerced into doing heavy loads of work which are harmful to their health and physical well-being. In many of these instances, most young children are loaded with work that is beyond their capacity and forced to complete the work or receive severe punishments if they fail to complete the work. The children are not allowed to rest and are treated as human slaves who have to follow the instructions that they are given by their masters without fail (Melly, 2011).

Implications of Child Exploitation

The brutality to children through the different forms of exploitation results in a number of associated implications socially, locally and even globally. Through such menaces, society is being eroded of the social values and negative virtues being implanted into the young children who are considered as the future generation leaders. Among the implications of child, exploitation includes but not limited to the following (Hussain, 2012).

First, the children are denied access to substantial education. Most of the children who are exploited through different forms such as child begging and commercial sex do not gain any access to education. According to recent research (Buggenhagen, 2012), most of the children in the streets of the Senegalese capital and those trafficked to other nations are illiterate because they are deprived of the right to access quality education that can be helpful for them and establish good intellectual skills. Through child exploitation, therefore, the number of illiterate individuals is increasingly and growing into a society of uneducated people with negative thoughts. Secondly, the children are left with bad health implications as a result of the participation in commercial sex and forced labor. The heavy works that the children are forced into doing results into negative and hazardous effects on the general health of the children, therefore, leaving them with chronic health complications which they are sometimes unable to seek sufficient medication for as a result of lack of enough capital for hospital bills. Additionally, the exploitation of children can lead to increased cases of violent behaviour and increase drug trafficking which is at the centre of illegal activities.

Discussion of the Key Issues

The Main Drivers of Child Exploitation

Exploitation of children has become a common phenomenon in many parts of the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Developing countries are at high risks for increased exploitation of their younger generation because of a number of reasons as enlisted below.

Firstly, poverty is the main driver of the exploitation of children (Buggenhagen, 2012). According to recent statistics, many developing countries are fighting with the problem of increased rates of poverty which imply that the nations and the entire population are unable to fund themselves adequately with basic needs and other human wants. Therefore, the children from poorer backgrounds are more susceptible to any kinds of human oppression because of their struggles with life, and therefore the exploiters use this as a substantial reason to exploit the children and make promises of helping them improve their lives.

Additionally, the Senegalese government lacks good social reforms and laws that deter the exploitation of children for inhuman and commercial gains (Buggenhagen, 2012). Because of failed laws in the nation, many people have resumed to child trafficking and other forms of exploitation which result in individualistic, selfish gains at the expense of the suffering endured by the young children. The children as well lack sufficient knowledge and education to help them in understanding their moral rights and the importance of education. Because of high levels of illiteracy, the children are unable to stand –out and defend their moral rights and freedom from oppression and other forms of coerced activities which result in dangerous harm to their health and well-being. Furthermore, the country has a high population and high numbers of street children who are seen as helpless and exploited workers in child commercial activities for trafficking drugs and being used for commercial sex locally and internationally (Paul, 2010).

The Current Issues about Child Trafficking in Senegal: The National and Global Efforts

Child trafficking is not only a local problem but a global issue which affects people across regions. The problem attracted local and international attention from both nations and advocates for children rights. First, the United Nations has played an important role in dealing with such a menace through its intervention in the problem of child exploitation in Senegal and offering substantial solutions to this problem. The UN has deployed many of its workers to the nation and the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region in order to increase the awareness of children to their rights and teaching them the importance of education. Additionally, the non-governmental organization has also increased its food aid to Senegal and other West African states which experience high cases of poverty and hunger strikes which lead the children to resolve to vulnerable behaviour. The UN has also increased its awareness about the importance of children and the dangers of exploiting children which include long term jail and other fines (Emily, 2009).

The government of Senegal has also played a role in dealing with child exploitation through legal frameworks targeted at participants in child exploitation and the establishment of laws to prevent children from any forms of oppression. Despite these efforts, it is not despicable that the country’s deep-rooted political intervention in child abuse has negatively affected the results of its fight against exploitation of the children. Many legal frameworks are determined by politics and not the advocates for child freedom which implies minimal effect in curbing child brutality. Some politicians are also involved in child exploitation, thus implying minimal political resistance to child brutality (Emily, 2009).

The economic problems being experienced in Senegal have triggered the religious leaders to use children as beggars and for other uses in order to earn money. Therefore, religion in Senegal has lost its moral drive and in turn taken the immoral use of children. Despite the notion that religion is supposed to serve as an educative institution for implanting good moral skills and refuting inhumanity, the Senegalese Muslim religion has taken another cause of using the children and dragging them into illegal acts such as begging and child trafficking in order to gain money for their own religious or non-religious purposes (Olaniyan & Sweet, 2010). The above discussion elaborates the loophole in dealing with child brutality through the negative influence of politics in Senegal and the need for more intervention in dealing with child exploitation globally.

Recommendations for Reducing Child Exploitation

In order to help the affected victims of child exploitation, it is significant that the country in collaboration with other multi-national organizations join efforts in sourcing funds to help establish comfortable children home where the affected victims can be accommodated. Financial aid from non-governmental organizations and other nations will be a good approach towards achieving this desire and minimal political influence in the project should be adhered to in order to realize project success (Babacar, 2012). Through multi-national organizations such as the United Nations, the country will be able to establish children homes and internal schools where the affected victims can source education. Furthermore, the country and other advocates for human rights should increase the awareness of the victims about their rights and freedom. The establishment of the children’s home will ensure the security of the vulnerable children from exploiters of the children and offer them good lives where they will not experience the lack of any basic needs because of the aid they receive.

Conclusion

Conclusively, child brutality is a problem in the global context. The Sub-Saharan Africa especially Senegal has witnessed an increment in child exploitation through forced begging, trafficking and others which are attributed to increasing poverty and lack of access to substantial education in the country. Many efforts have been taken to deal with such brutality through the action of the UN and other multinational corporations about human rights, but the political situation and influence have impacted negatively on the progress. The above project has established that the establishment of a children’s home, which will provide educational facilities and restore the happiness and freedom of the victims rather than punishing them will help the victims. Through the international aids and the setting apart of government resources for the project, the country will restore the freedom and happiness of the affected children.

Reference List

Andre, P., & Jean-Luc D. (2010). "Koranic School in Senegal: a real barrier to formal education?" Department of Economics and Finance Working Papers, Universidad de Guanajuato, Department of Economics and Statistics.EM200901:1-32.

Babacar, S. (2012). Street children in Senegal: Finding new approaches to an old problem. World Youth Leaders Forum 2012

Buggenhagen, B. (2012). ‘‘Fashioning Piety: Women’s Dress, Money and Faith among Senegalese Muslims in New York City.’’ City & Society 24 (1): 84104.

Emily, D. (2009). Begging for Change: Research Findings and Recommendations on Forced Child Begging in Albania/Greece, India and Senegal. Anti-Slavery International

Ford, M. & Lenore L. (2011). Counter-Trafficking and Migrant Labor Activism in Indonesia’s Periphery. The University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia. Indonesian Studies Working Paper No. 14.

Human Rights Watch. (2014). Exploitation in the Name of Education: Uneven Progress in Ending Forced Child Begging in Senegal; March 2014. http://www.hrw.org/sites/ default/files/reports/senegal0314.

Hussain, M. (2012). “Senegalese children forced to beg by renegade teachers’ betrayal of principle.” The Guardian, London, December 11, 2012; Global Development. http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2012/dec/11/ Senegalese-children-forced-beg-renegade-teachers.

Melly, C. M. (2011). ‘‘Titanic Tales of Missing Men: Reconfigurations of National Identity and Gendered Presence in Dakar, Senegal.’’ American Ethnologist 38 (2): 361376.

Merrill, H. (2011). ‘‘Migration and Surplus Populations: Race and Deindustrialization in Northern Italy.’’ Antipode 43 (5): 15421572.

Olaniyan, T., & Sweet J. (2010). The African Diaspora and the Disciplines. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Paul, T. Z. (2010). ‘‘African Diasporas: Toward a Global History.’’ African Studies Review 53 (1): 119.