In her efforts to combat child trafficking the government of The Gambia has agreed to sign a multilateral agreement to combat child trafficking in West Africa with the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo.

This was revealed at the first annual conference on child trafficking jointly organised by the US Embassy and the government of The Gambia in their bid to sensitise the general public on this fast growing phenomenon within the sub-region.

Presenting a paper on the problem of trafficking in Children in The Gambia, Ms. Fanta Sisay, Director Department of State for Social Welfare said that her department is the government's agency responsible for the protection of the most vulnerable in The Gambia - women and children.

"However the Department of State for Justice is the responsible for the coordination of issues of human trafficking and the latter department has already set up a task force on human trafficking in which my department is a member", she added.

She also pointed out that a bilateral co-operation of agreement is being discussed with the Ghanaian government to combat child trafficking. Here follows the Director Department of State for Social Welfare's presentation: "The problem of trafficking in children in The Gambia is under reported and this can be attributed to lack of awareness of the general public of what trafficking is, how it is done, mode/type and who are involved.

The first case of child trafficking that was reported to the Department of Social Welfare was the Ghana Town case in 2004, in which twelve identified children were trafficked from Ghana to The Gambia.

Recently there are two study reports on child trafficking issues on The Gambia. These are: *The Trafficking in Persons Report 2004 by the U .S State Department *Situational Analysis of child trafficking in The Gambia by UNICEF 2004.
The reports revealed that there is both internal and external trafficking of children in The Gambia.

Internal Trafficking Children are internally trafficked from rural to urban areas and engaged in work, begging (Almudoes), street vending and domestic servant. There are also girls mostly from the sarahuleh tribe who sell tie and dye products at the markets. These girls are aged between 14 and 20 years and live with their parents learning the trade.

External Trafficking In Children
According, to the above-mentioned reports The Gambia is a source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and force domestic and commercial labour. According to the UNICEF Report on Situational Analysis of Child trafficking in The Gambia, sex tourists from some European countries (Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Belgium) exploit Gambian Children and in some cases traffic them to Europe for prostitution and pornography.

Main Roads Of Trafficking As Per The Reports 1. Gambian Children are trafficked to Senegal for Koranic Education 2. Senegalese Children are trafficked to The Gambia for Koranic Education 3. Guinean Children are trafficked to The Gambia through Casamance 4. Children from Guinea Bissau are trafficked through Casamance to The Gambia 5. Ghanaian Children from Guinea Bissau are trafficked to Ghana Town to work in fishing, fish preparation and petty trading 6. Senegalese girls from Casamance are trafficked to The Gambia for domestic work 7. Ghanaian children are trafficked to Guinea, especially in Conakry, after transiting through The Gambia.

8. Ghanaian children are trafficked to reach Dakar and Banjul after transiting through Bobo Diolasso, (Burkina Faso), Bamako and Kayes (Mali) to reach Dakar and Banjul.

Government Response Or Interventions The Department of Social Welfare through support from UNICEF conducted a nation wide study on street children in The Gambia in 1995 and a study on sexual abuse and exploitation of children in The Gambia in 2003. Findings from these study reports provide better understanding of the phenomenon in planning to combat child abuse and exploitation, which can lead to child trafficking.

The Department of Social Welfare has also got the co-operation of some European countries on "minors to travel abroad". Embassies refer visa applicants who are children to the Department of Social Welfare for certification before they issue them with visa.

The Department of Social Welfare and other partners like Child Protection Alliance (C.P.A) has conducted series of training workshops on Child Protection issues including Child trafficking with the police officers, Immigration officers, teachers, social worker, religious leaders etc.

The Department of Social Welfare is running a child centre sponsored by the Standard Chartered Bank. The centre provides drop in services for children in difficult circumstances, in psychosocial counselling, reproductive health education, computer and life skills training, feeding programme educational sponsorship, medical support and other child protection services.

The Department of Social Welfare with support from SOS International is currently constructing a shelter for children, which will provide an overnight stay and protection services to children in difficult circumstances. UNICEF through The Gambia Government Country Programme of Co-operation has also allocated some funds for the provision of services at the shelter. Hopefully before the end of October 2005 the Shelter will be operational.

Gamtel has approved the Installation of hotline toll fee and arrangements are at advance stage.

The National Assembly has passed the Children Bill. A draft multidisciplinary operational handbook in child protection for stakeholders is developed. A draft children's policy was developed and at cabinet level.

The government of The Gambia has agreed to sign a multilateral agreement to combat child trafficking in West Africa in July 2005 with the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d' Ivories, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Also a bilateral co- operation of agreement is being discussed, with the Ghanaian government to combat child trafficking.

Plans are also on the way for a programme for Almudoes, and working street children with a focus on skills training and apprenticeship from August to December 2005.

The government has a focal point for trafficking in persons, thus responsible for co-ordination. It set up a National Taskforce on Trafficking in Person since 2003 and a draft plan of action is also being discussed.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200508190880.html

UNICEF welcomes the signing of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act by the President of Sierra Leone on 12th August 2005. The Act defines human trafficking as an offense and criminalises all forms of human trafficking. The issue of trafficking in persons, particularly of women and children who are the most vulnerable, has been of great concern in post-conflict Sierra Leone. UNICEF therefore hopes that the Act will help the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners to more appropriately respond to issues of prevention, rapid response for identification and prosecution of offenders, as well as the provision of relevant reintegration services for victims.

Prior to the signing, the Trafficking-in-Person Task Force, comprising the Sierra Leone Police, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, International and National NGOs, Human Rights and Civil Society Groups, the United States Embassy and UNICEF, served as a catalyst to advocate for the passage of the Act. The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Hon. Dr. A. Fofana, in collaboration with the Task Force and financial support from UNICEF, undertook regional consultations on the draft Act in four districts; Western Area, Koinadugu, Pujehun and Kono. These consultations raised awareness on human trafficking and incorporated the contributions of stakeholders into the draft Act.

Trafficking of children links all countries and regions in a web of international crime and grave violations of human rights. Victims of trafficking often come from poor families who do not have economic opportunities. Children who have minimal education, lack vocational skills or have few prospects for development opportunities are most at risk. These factors, when compounded by gender, racial or ethical discrimination, or insecurity caused by armed conflict and civil strife, create the ideal environment for trafficking networks to thrive.

In Sierra Leone, there have been indications that children are being trafficked both within the country, usually from rural to urban areas, as well as across borders. These children are being exposed to a range of exploitative practices that include: child labour; sexual exploitation; military conscription; early marriage and illicit adoption. As such, the survival and development of these children are threatened, and their rights to education, health and protection are denied.

UNICEF therefore calls upon the Government, not only to swiftly commence the implementation of the Act of trafficking, but also to address with a great urgency the underlying causes such as: poverty, low school enrolment, children without caregivers, lack of birth registration, inequality of women and girls. Unless these underlying causes are addressed, the more direct measures to stop trafficking will have limited success.

The signing of the Act is an excellent start in combating trafficking, but there is indeed much more to be done to make the elimination of Child Trafficking a reality. “UNICEF is committed to assisting the government in addressing the many challenges ahead. Already a country wide assessment is being undertaken to shed more light on the problem of trafficking in children in Sierra Leone”.

http://i-newswire.com/pr43045.html

Tree-and-a-half years after signing the International Treaty on the Worst types of Child Labour, the Guatemalan government still lacks a policy to protect the approximately million-and-a-half minors who work in high-risk conditions.

As World Day Against Child Labour was recently celebrated, the following facts came to the fore: 1,200,000 girls and boys between five and seventeen years of age work in industries considered to be worst. These industries include stonecutting, mining, horticulture, fireworks production, prostitution, agriculture, fishing, and the production of construction materials. Another 300,000 children do other types of labour, such as the selling items on street corners and at traffic lights, cleaning shoes, or juggling. Six out of every ten children in Guatemala work in industries considered to have the worst labour conditions. Their education, housing, and personal development are not considered a crucial issue on the government agenda.

Working children between the ages of five and fourteen are primarily employed in the countryside. Seventy percent work in agricultural and rural labour industries. Eight percent work in manufacturing industries, and eight percent more work in peripatetic sales and trade. Seven percent are employed in domestic labour, and the remaining three-and-a-half percent work in pornography and prostitution.

Il Latin America, Guatemala ranks second in child exploitation. According to a study by the International Labour Organization, Ecuador employs thirty percent of its children; Guatemala employs twenty-five percent; Brazil twenty percent; Peru and Colombia, sixteen percent respectively; El Salvador and Costa Rica, twelve percent respectively; and Chile two percent.

Nidia Aguilar, Defender of Childhood and Youth at Human Rights Procurator’s Office (PDH), said that the approval of the Law of Full Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents (LEPINA) is one of the first steps in eradicating this plague. According too the report “Situation of Children 2004”, produced by the Archbishop’s Human Rights Office (ODHA), child and adolescent labour is not only a consequence of the country’s economic problems, but also stems from political violence, cultural norms of child rearing , the ignorance of parents regarding laws protecting children, and familiar disintegration.

http://www.terrelibere.it/terrediconfine/index.php?x=completa&riga=01276

Ajay Kumar, who used to roam the streets of his village collecting wood and other important items, is now involved in constructing a school building for the children of his village. Santosh, a young girl, helped rescue 400 bandhua mazdoor. Amar Lal uses theatre as a medium to spread awareness about education to his peers.

These people aren’t experienced social activists, but teenagers who till sometime back were bonded labourers themselves. Now as free children they have achieved something that are worth following.

They and many others like them will be the highlight of the ‘Second Children’s World Congress on Child Labour and Education’ that will be held in the Capital from 4 to 8 September.

The event, announced on Thursday at India Habitat Centre, will see the participation of more than 200 child delegates, all former child labourers, from round the globe to discuss pertinent issues like child abuse, sexual harassment and various other vices that have gripped the innocence of children.

“In our country, this is a big problem, and with more initiatives like these, we will soon see the light of the day,” said actress Nandita Das, who is actively involved with the campaign.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/2005/Aug/21/5922_1466229,0087.htm

In a significant step, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that provides concrete proposals to protect children in armed conflict. Refugees International is urging the UN to do all that is necessary to implement the new resolution and take extra steps to help child soldiers reintegrate into their communities.

Concerns
Children are frequently the most at risk when they and their families are displaced by conflict or natural disaster. In conflict settings, children have become easy targets for recruitment by government militias or rebel groups and serve as combatants, porters and sex slaves. Large numbers of children have been forced to enter combat in countries such as Liberia, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Burma and Nepal. Refugees International’s work in areas of conflict allows us to report incidents in which children have been conscripted into military services. We continue to urge action to eliminate the use of child soldiers.

Upon return from conflict, former child soldiers often find themselves without options as they try to reenter civilian life in their communities. Those who want to go to school find that the longer they have been out of school, the more difficult it is to go back, especially in the absence of “catch up” programs. Refugees International regularly advocates for more resources towards formal education, skills training and business training opportunities to help former child soldiers become productive members in their society.

Refugees International also works to ensure that displaced children have access to educational opportunities. Even if children are able to escape direct involvement in conflict, their access to education is affected. In some countries, children living in refugee or displaced persons’ camps can only attend camp schools which don’t go beyond the secondary level, effectively denying them the right to pursue higher education.

Children born to parents in a country other than their own, where the parents came in search of asylum, can find themselves without a nationality. In nations such as Thailand where millions of Burmese have been fleeing to escape the conflict in Burma, children born to Burmese and viewed by the Thais as migrants are denied birth certificates, rendering them stateless. These children grow up in limbo without access to proper education, public healthcare and other social welfare programs. Refugees International is calling for every child to be registered at birth and granted nationality and is working to ensure that stateless people receive the services they need.

Accomplishments
Refugees International has sought to bring attention to the needs of children affected by conflict to policy makers in the United Nations and the United States. Here are a few of our accomplishments:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-6FB46D?OpenDocument

Sixty-five percent of the under-15s living in the Syrian countryside work, while in the cities the figure is less than 36 percent, according to the Syrian Commission for Democratic Freedom and Human Rights. Despite Syrian authorities banning the use of child labour for under-15s, the controversial situation is the result of poverty, low salaries, and the lack of technology in agricultural and industrial fields, which mean specialised man-power is not required.

Syria signed the Declaration of Children Rights in 1993 and an international agreement in 2002 on children' trade, their involvement in immoral activities and their partecipation in armed conflicts.

The governmental report explains the way the child labour percentages have been calculated. They include the cases of children between 5 and 11-years-old, working one hour a day; children between 12 and 14-years-old working more than 14 hours a week and teenagers between 15 and 17 working more than 40 hours a week.

70 percent of children work for free within their families, while the remaining 30 percent work for third parties earning a small wage. Among this latter category, the majority are girls.

10 percent of working children have accidents or fall sick.

The high percentage of child labour in the countryside and in the cities, is largely due to social factors such as little education, men emigrating abroad and the low salaries of state employees.

When it signed the Declaration of Children Rights, Syria expressed reservation on certain articles such as "freedom of thought, of existence, of religion and creed" and regarding "adoption", which is outlawed by the Koran.

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Trends&loid=8.0.196942858&par=0

The European Union condemned Nepal's Maoist rebels for using children as soldiers in a civil war in which thousands have died since 1996 and urged the government to ensure those affected by the conflict were properly rehabilitated.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has been fighting to overthrow Nepal's monarchy and set up a communist republic in the world's only Hindu kingdom. The conflict has cost more than 12,500 lives, more than 400 of them children.

"The EU strongly condemns the CPN (M)'s systematic and continued human rights violations especially in respect to the use of child soldiers which runs contrary to their claims that they respect human rights and adhere to the standards of the Geneva Conventions," EU said in a statement issued by the British Embassy late on Friday. Britain currently holds the EU presidency.

"Violation of the rights of the children, evident in the Maoist abuse of schools, indoctrination and abduction of young people and the induction into military forces, are particularly abhorrent," the statement said.

The rebels could not be reached for comment, but during a tour of the Maoist areas in west Nepal early this year, Reuters reporters were told by the rebels that children were not used as fighters but only policed their areas as village militia.

EU said 20,000 children were displaced and many had become victims of trafficking and child labour due to the conflict.

It urged Nepal's government to ensure that children affected by the conflict were properly rehabilitated and safe at schools.

Last month, rights group Amnesty International said Nepali children were being abducted and recruited for military activities and blamed both the rebels and government troops for violating their fundamental rights.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP199055.htm

The two largest U.S. teachers' unions joined a "back-to-school" boycott against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., targeting one of the year's busiest shopping seasons to protest the retailer's labour practices. The 2.7 million-member National Education Association, the biggest U.S. union, and the 1.3 million-member American Federation of Teachers are teaming with the United Food and Commercial Workers in urging shoppers to buy school supplies elsewhere, the UFCW's "Wake-Up Wal-Mart" group said. The back-to-school season is the biggest shopping time for Wal-Mart other than Christmas. The unions are demanding the company boost its wages, expand health benefits and adhere to child labour and discrimination laws. Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world and biggest private employer in the U.S., stressed that its low prices, such as 25-cent crayons, help educators and students. WMT (NYSE) fell 38 cents to $48.84.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050811/RTICKER11-8/Education/Idx

6,023 employers were convicted under the Child Labour (Prohibition & regulation) Act, 1986 for engaging children in identified hazardous occupations during the three years from 2001-02. Of these 1788 employers were convicted in 2001-02, 325 in 2002-03 and 3910 employers in 2003-04. Under the Act the employers found engaging children in identified hazardous occupations are liable to be prosecuted. For violating provisions of the Act, it further provides for punishment with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 10,000 but which may extend to Rs. 20,000 or with both.

Census conducted by the Registrar General of India is the only authentic data in respect of population of child labour in the country. As per the Census 2001, the number of child labour n the country is 1.26 crore. As per the Census 2001, the number of child labour in Delhi is 41899.

This information was given by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha .

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=11153

Ofankor (GAR), Aug. 8, GNA- Mrs Victoria Opoku, Ga West District Director of Education, at the weekend advised parents and guardians to ensure that their children enrol in school instead of engaging them in child labour. She said children who are out of school were likely to yield to peer influence to indulge in social vices such as alcoholism, drug abuse and sexual promiscuity.

Mrs Opoku gave the advice when she addressed the Third Graduation and Speech and Prize-giving Day Silicon Valley International School at Ofankor in the Greater Accra Region.

She said formal education enhanced the acquisition of skills, decision-making capabilities of children and plays an essential role in improving the quality of life. "Education is the best legacy that we can bequeath to our children. As such, education is a right and not a privilege for the Ghanaian child," she said.

Mrs Opoku who touched on the theme: "Education: A Tool For The Future; A Collective Responsibility For All", said the 1992 Constitution aimed at promoting universal basic education without discrimination on grounds such as gender, religious affiliation or ethnic background. She said it was therefore a policy of the Government that every Ghanaian child should be in school by the year 2015. Mr Moses Aninagyei, Principal of the School said there were plans to expand and refurbish the School's library and the computer laboratory to meet modern standards.

He said the School is fully prepared for the take off of the Junior Secondary School.

Mr Aninagyei entreated parents and guardians to support the education of their children to complement the efforts of the school authorities in ensuring that discipline reins supreme among the pupils. Mr K. Frimpong Boateng, a Chairman of the School's Board of Directors, who chaired the function called on the pupils to study hard since the future of the country, depends on them.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=87523

Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Maryam Ciroma has said eight million Nigerian children were subjected to child labour and trafficking and lamented that only six states had passed the Child Rights Act.

Ciroma made the disclosure in Minna while addressing Niger State Governor, Abdul-kadir Kure, members of the State Executive Council and State House of Assembly.

The minister regretted that the girl child was worse off, as they were engaged more in child labour and trafficking than boys.

The minister frowned at the lukewarm attitude of state governments to restoration of the rights of children, despite efforts made by Federal Government to protect the future leaders, through passage of the Act.

She regretted that only six of the 36 states had passed the child rights bill, thereby putting the future of the Nigerian children into further agony.

Ciroma who was in Minna on an advocacy visit for passage of the bill warned that if decisive decision, in form of legislation was not in place to check the rising profile of child labour trafficking, the future of the country would be in jeopardy.

The minister explained that the future of children could only be secured by proper upbringing and functional education, arguing that "development of the country can only be assured when today's children are properly catered for."

She told top government functionaries in the state that the practice of engaging children in labour was no longer acceptable to her ministry.

"Let me use this medium to warn parents who engagd their children in street hawking to stop forthwith. Those who also engage their children in menial jobs, instead of sending them to school should also stop," she warned.

Ciroma urged the government and Assembly to adopt the Rights Act. And implored them to be sensitive in political appointments.

Responding, Governor, Abdulkadir Kure promised quick passage of the bill, just as he assured the minister that women would be given equal opportunity in political appointments. The governor also promised to ensure an improved funding of the state Ministry of Women Affairs.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200508050667.html

More than 2,000 child workers have been helped over the past four years in Yemen where over 500,000 children are working in difficult conditions, officials said.

Poverty is the main reason behind child labour in this country where 42 per cent of the population lives on less than $2(Dh7.34) per day, experts explained.

The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is commencing in September its second phase in the country whose population is 20 million with some 11 million under eighteen.

An international consultant from IPEC came last week to Yemen to evaluate the first phase of the IPEC programme that started at the beginning of 2001 and finished at the end of this month.

Andrea Hitzemann said there was some successes in raising awareness, "but the problem is huge, and it needs the efforts of all."

"I got a good chance to see and talk to children in the workshops, but I was shocked when I saw them because some of them are very small and do very dangerous work," Hitzemann, who is currently visiting Yemen, told the Gulf News.

The German expert mainly attributed the phenomenon to poverty.

"I think that a lot of families are very poor and need their children to work but I was asking the question yesterday that if all these children are working in the streets and buying food, where are the men, where are their fathers, what are they doing?" Hitzemann wondered.

Hitzemann advised all Yemenis to work hard to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and take care of the next generation if they want to build a stable, Yemeni society. She also highlighted the importance of raising awareness.

"It is important to make people aware that it is not right to have children work in factories, to have children work with fire, to have children work in workshops.

"People have to understand this because we cannot control the whole country, people have to control themselves," Hitzemann said.

However, she said it's difficult to get children out of work.

"We should help children have some recreation first, work less hours, also have time to learn and give them time to play. It is not only about taking children out of work completely as it is very difficult," Hitzemann added.

The government has contributed about $60,000 to the last four-year IPEC programme which was financed by International Labour Organisation (ILO) with $ 1.3 million.

Although the results of the last four years were very small, the government officials speak about a long-term national strategy to combat the child labour throughout the country.

"During the last four years, we helped and improved the conditions of 2,179 working children, which means we worked for reducing the working hours, giving training, raising awareness or transferring children from hazardous jobs to safe ones," Muna Ali Salem, director of Child Labour Unit at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs told the Gulf News.

"According to the latest statistics we have, there are 4,21,000 working children in Yemen, but this number goes up and down, for example it goes up during summer vacation and goes down during school time," Salem said.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=176075

Although the magnitude of absolute poverty in Punjab is relatively less compared to many states, there are pockets of relative poverty in the state that is contributing to a sizeable child labour force.

"In most cases, children are used to augment the family income," say officials.

Child labour thrives in situations where adults are unemployed, families are large, a lack of land and other resources and backwardness in terms of literacy and skills, according to ILO.

Children of migrant workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa as well as those belonging to backward castes of Punjab are more likely to be found engaged as child labourers, say officials.

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=52002