Children...

By Jesal Dholakia Gandhi
Editor

Most people associate children with a natural innocence. Most of us come from a privileged life; in that we have the basic essentials provided for us, so we can survive. We grew up in a home, went through a school system, had a sense of belonging, security within our home, and were given opportunities to allow our skills to be polished.

What most of us probably do not think about on a daily basis are those young innocent children around the world who are not protected, who are abused, who are trafficked, who are exploited, who are not allowed to be young and retain their innocence.

How often do you think about child soldiers? It is a foreign thought to most of us; something that seems nonexistent in our world of work, happy hour, dinner parties and vacations on the beach. But does that mean we should not be concerned about those children's well being, those children who have no one to ensure their protection? How do we keep children from picking up guns in war ravaged countries? How do we reincorporate them back into society once they are saved from the fields of war? How can you teach a child who picked up a gun every morning, to instead pick up a backpack full of school books? How do you make sure members of their community do not ostracize them from society because of their past behavior? Child soldiers are forged in societies where orphaned or trafficked children are taken advantage of - their innocence exploited to serve the agenda of a leader who disregards the value of their life.

Did you know?

  • Each year, approximately 14 million females between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth. Females of this age group are twice more likely to die during pregnancy or child birth than women in their twenties.
  • Roughly 126 million children (aged 5-17) are working under hazardous conditions.
  • The latest estimates state that about 1.2 million children are trafficked worldwide each year.
  • Worldwide, about 20% of women and 5-10% of men have suffered sexual abuse as a child.
  • 143 million children by the end of 2003 were orphaned (children aged 0-17 who have lost one or both parents) from 93 countries of the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. About 11% of those children were orphaned by AIDS; majority of them from sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Due to infanticide, prenatal sex selection, and neglect it is estimated that 60 million girls are missing in Asia.
  • Child care workers who were interviewed in the Caribbean believe corporal punishment reflects that parents care enough to discipline their children properly.
  • About 2 million people have been displaced in Darfur (Sudan), of which more than 1 million are children under 18 and of that 32% are aged five and under.
  • In 2005 it was estimated that worldwide there were more than 250,000 child soldiers.
  • Roughly 200,000 children in Somalia have carried a gun or been involved in a militia since the government collapsed in 1991.
  • An estimate in 2005 stated that approximately 2.3 million children less than 15 years of age have HIV; 700,000 of which are newly infected.
  • 48 million births worldwide in 2003 went unregistered; approximately 47% of all worldwide births that went unregistered occurred in South Asia.
  • In 2005, 36% of the 20-24 year old females around the world were married before they reached the age of 18 years (this figure does not include China). Marriage of young girls is most common in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Approximately, 1 million children worldwide are detained by law enforcement authorities.
  • Over 1 million children in Europe and Central Asia live in residential institutions. Roughly 1.5 million live in public care in the CEE/CIS region.
  • Each year roughly 12,000 children, majority of which are girls, from Nepal are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation within Nepal or to brothels in India and other countries.
  • It is estimated by the International Labour Organization that 40-50% of the 1.39 million involved in forced commercial sexual exploitation are children.
  • There are more than 130 million women and girls alive today that were subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting.

The facts in this list were compiled from the UNICEF: Child Protection Information Sheets. For detailed information view the document at http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/MDG.pdf.

In order to fight against child exploitation, trafficking, child marriage, etc. it is necessary to have the proper records of the individual child - their birth registration. Even a simple thing like birth registration is not a widespread norm. Millions upon millions of children go unregistered each year; the majority of those births take place in South Asia. Parents in rural areas do not understand the benefits of birth registration, or even the value of their own citizenship; therefore it is not given any importance. According to UNICEF, birth registration is the bedrock to child protection; fundamental to the recognition of the child's rights and practical needs. It provides documentation that facilitates government planning, serves as a tool to fight child labor and trafficking, and perhaps most importantly documents the existence of the child.

Most of us, when we think of children who would be in this situation probably think of some developing nation. But in the western world there are occurrences of child trafficking, child marriage, child labor - all of which could be considered a form of child abuse. Perhaps it is not as widely visible in the United States or United Kingdom as it is in countries like India, Cambodia, and Columbia; but it happens everywhere.

Over a million children are trafficked around the world each year. This happens all over Europe, Asia, Pacific Islands, African continent, and even in the United States. Children are trafficked for a variety of reasons; a few examples are for child labor, child slaves, sexual exploitation, drugs, recruitment for armed militias, and child brides.

Although it is hard for us as individuals to fight against child trafficking, it is not impossible. By being aware of and supporting corporations that do not use child labor at their manufacturing plants, it is one significant way to fight child trafficking and child labor. Another way is to be patrons of companies that partake in fair-trade business relations. Also, if you have relatives that reside in countries that may have child domestic servants, then you should encourage them to refrain from employing children. Children should be enrolled in education programs not domestic cleaning.

An area, in which we as individuals can make a difference, is by working towards changing cultural attitudes in all realms that we belong to, such as our communities, friend circles, and extended family network. UNICEF has stated that it is important to adjust the attitudes, customs, and practices in a community in order to combat issues like child marriages, honor killings, child labor, and increasing birth registration, to name a few. Changing the mindset is perhaps one of the most difficult challenges faced by outsiders of the community who are trying to help protect the children. Having an open discussion is important to work towards changing attitudes but it needs to be regarded as a non-private matter as it deals with child safety versus violence against children.

An additional, salient, example of an infraction against children is forcing or coercing them to marry before they turn 18 years of age. In order to fight against child marriages, it is essential to change the cultural mindset of those who partake in those activities. Child marriages are thought of as something that happens in remote villages in developing countries.

Contrary to that thought, is the fact that a known polygamist, Warren Jeffs, was arrested in Arizona; a man thought to be guilty of making young girls marry him or others within their community and sexually assaulting members of his parish. If you were to read up on the allegations Jeffs has been accused of, it would most certainly make you feel revolted. Marriages of children happen all over the world, and it is a serious prevalent issue that needs attention. Warren Jeffs is just another example of a person of power abusing his followers.

People in leadership positions often take advantage and abuse those who are powerless; this is an occurrence that happens on US soil and worldwide. Families feel pressured into making decisions that are not in the best interests of their children because of societal and/or economic pressures. It is imperative to educate and cultivate a mindset that finds these infractions against children distasteful and unacceptable - simply intolerable in a civilized community.

While I was in the process of writing this article, I watched a show on MSNBC called "Children for Sale" and it was unsettling to hear about the brothels filled with children. They showed a scene in Cambodia; of young girls around the age of 8 were soliciting foreigners to buy their sexual favors and being pimped out by boys just a little older than them. The narrator cited that the U.S. State Department said since 2003 Cambodia government has made progress in minimizing child trafficking but there are still many challenges; the root of it being corrupt public officials. How can we combat against child exploitation and trafficking if the officials in charge are also moles and corrupt?

Even in the wake of the natural disaster in Haiti, there has been worry about children being trafficked and abused because of the chaos and heightened number of newly orphaned children. Fortunately, there have been many agencies on high alert for such indecencies and abuses. But the question remains, how will we be certain that no offenses are made amidst chaos and rubble? There is no way to be certain, only can do our part in assisting those agencies that are out in the field trying to help rebuild Haiti. It is despicable that there are people waiting on the sidelines to take advantage of the situation. But with due vigilance and commitment of resources, organizations like UNICEF, Red Cross, and government agencies can contend against these evil-doers.

Greed over human decency must be made socially unacceptable in all cultures - worldwide. It seems to be a common thread in all of the indecencies that occur. Whatever the greed may be thirsting for, be it money or power, it cultivates immoral actions and behavior.

Take a moment to read through the facts listed out in the box. Take another moment to think about what your part is?

Will you work towards changing cultural mindsets? Will you donate to an organization that deals with protecting children around the world? Will you discuss these matters with your friends and family? Will you look for products made by socially responsible corporations? Or will you sit back and let things fall as they do?

What will you do... now that you are aware?

For more information about child protection, visit UNICEF.org (United Nations Children's Fund). There are many organizations and ways in which you can help; monetary donation, volunteering, educating, etc.

Reach the writer by emailing her: Jesal@ValleyIndiaTimes.com; comments, discussions, and feedback are appreciated.