There's a 2 percent special cess for education. And yet crores of children have not seen a school, let alone being enrolled in one. To tackle the challenge of universal quality education for the future generation, Times Foundation initiated a round-table discussion.

Attending it were members of a visiting high-powered delegation of European Parliament, educationists and social workers.

And the broad conclusions reached for ensuring quality education were -- make available infrastructure, adequate teachers and their training programmes; institute a public-private partnership to monitor the use of cess funds; and, maximise school infrastructure by working shifts.

And above all, inculcate human values in the overall education system. In 2002, the European Commission had committed 200 million euros for elementary education in India and 80 percent of that money has already been released.

The delegates had come to India for a review. By the time they came in for the discussion, they had travelled to various parts of the country and seen for themselves what was working -- and what was not.

Addressing the gathering, Times Group chairman Indu Jain suggested that the government, in order to make maximum use of the infrastructure, should consider starting three or more shifts in all schools -- the first shift for children of economically better-off families that will take care of the school's economics, the second shift can be for children from poor families and a third shift for vocational courses.

EP member Marianne Mikko said: "There is a need for computerisation of all schools to make best use of technology. But in rural areas lack of electricity may be a hurdle. The business community and the government need to devise ways to implement this."

Kailash Satyarthi, president of Global Campaign for Education, defined quality as a five-pronged approach comprising "quality environment for learning, quality infrastructure, quality teachers, quality expansion and quality participation.

When we talk of public-private partnership, it cannot be just sub-letting of responsibility." He added that in order to eradicate child labour that remains a formidable obstacle to the universalisation of elementary education, various government departments have to work in unison.

Sanjeev Kakkar of the Art of Living Foundation highlighted the need to integrate human values in the education system.

United Nations 27 April (IPS):The United Nations, which is fielding over 19,800 peacekeeping troops in war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is virtually fighting a losing battle to contain the ongoing recruitment of child soldiers in a country the size of Western Europe.

Asked why child soldiers continue to be a recurring problem in the DRC despite the presence of the largest single U.N. peacekeeping force in the sprawling African nation, Julia Freedson, director of Watchlist of Children and Armed Conflict, told IPS: "The size and broken-down infrastructure of DRC prevents U.N. personnel from reaching many corners of the country."

And egregious abuses against children and other civilians, she pointed out, take place daily in areas that are far from international reach. "In addition, armed conflict, political disorder and poverty have led to a weak or non-existent judicial system in most areas," she added. .
DRC continues to endure the world's deadliest humanitarian crisis, with more than 38,000 people dying every month as a direct or indirect consequence of the armed conflict, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). And approximately 45 percent of these deaths occur among children under 18.

"Despite the presence of the United Nations' largest peacekeeping operation, the promise of upcoming elections and billions of dollars granted by donors for post-conflict reconstruction in DRC, most Congolese children are not faring any better than they were three years ago -- and for some children, health, safety and well-being have drastically deteriorated," said Freedson of Watchlist, a global network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) based in New York.

With 2,000 children out of an original total of 20,000 still associated with armed forces and groups in Southern Sudan, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed latest demobilization of 250 youngsters, the biggest of its kind since the signature of a peace accord ended a two decades of civil war in January 2005.

"It is time for these children to go home, go to school and enjoy the fruits of peace," UNICEF country representative Ted Chaiban said at yesterday's ceremony in Upper Nile state.

UNICEF Sudan is seeking $16.5 million to support child demobilization and reintegration throughout Africa's largest country but so far only $2.5 million has been received or pledged for 2006. More funding will enable a more effective process and a wider range of programmes to meet the needs of these and other vulnerable children in the community as a whole in such areas as access to education, health, clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

Since 2001, an estimated 20,000 children from the former southern rebel forces, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), have been disarmed, demobilized and returned to their families and communities with UNICEF support.

But there are still an estimated 2,000 children associated with the SPLA, mainly in non-combat roles and in hard-to-reach areas. A significant minority are girls whose circumstances and needs often differ from those of boys and require special consideration. In addition, there are an unknown number of under-18-year-olds in other armed groups in Southern Sudan, which were formerly allied to the central government in Khartoum. Since early 2006, many of these forces have re-aligned themselves with the SPLA and are being absorbed.

Malakal - About 250 children associated with an armed group in Khorfulus, near Malakal in southern Sudan would be released and demobilised on Monday, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said in a statement.

Unicef welcomed the move, saying this latest demobilisation was the biggest of its kind since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in January last year.

The agreement committed the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the then government of Sudan to child demobilisation throughout the country.

"We are determined to demobilise all child soldiers this year" said Benjamin Goro Gimba, the Executive Director of the Southern Sudan Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - the Southern Sudan authority in charge of the process - at a ceremony in Upper Nile state on Sunday.

"It is time for these children to go home, go to school and enjoy the fruits of peace", added Unicef Sudan Representative, Ted Chaiban.

The children being released on Monday were mainly from an armed group called " Mobile", which recently joined forces with the SPLA.

Those who lived nearby would immediately rejoin their families, while transport arrangements would be made for the others to get home.

According to Unicef, about 20 000 children from the former southern rebel forces had been disarmed, demobilised and returned to their families with Unicef support since 2001.

"However, there are an estimated 2 000 children still associated with the SPLA, mainly in non-combat roles and in hard-to-reach areas. A significant minority are girls whose circumstances and needs often differ from those of boys and require special consideration.

"In addition, there are an unknown number of under-18s in other armed groups in Southern Sudan," the statement read.

Recruiting and using children under the age of 18 in armed conflict is contrary to international law to Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

GENEVA (ILO News) - A global report providing new estimates of the number of child labourers worldwide and regionally, and analyzing progress to date in the struggle against child labour, is to be released on 4 May by the International Labour Office (ILO) here and around the world.

The report, entitled "The end of child labour: Within reach" ( Note 1) is to be launched on 4 May at a wide range of events globally, including the ILO's American Regional Meeting in Brasilia, Brazil with ILO Director-General Juan Somavia.

The report has been prepared by the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) and provides the most recent and wide-ranging assessment currently available on the extent of child labour and international efforts to stop it.

Four years ago, the ILO provided the first global report allowing a reliable assessment of the child labour situation and calling for the creation of an effective strategy to stop child labour. This year's report will present a new global agenda, building on lessons learned over the past years to achieve further progress in the elimination of child labour.

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/clients/ilo/results.html?keyword=child+labour

THE Government has been asked to adopt a child labour policy following the recent passing of the labour law.

A statement issued last week by a local NGO, the African Network for prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), said the Government was not doing enough to develop and enforce a practical child labour policy.

ANPPCAN official deogratias Yiga told journalists in kampala that children were engaged in child labour, some against their will or with their parents' consent.

"There are unacceptably high numbers of children trapped in child labour despite efforts by various actors to tackle the problem," Yiga said.

He said there were many children trapped in commercial sex, commercial agriculture, the fish industry and domestic services.

"A sectoral study by the ministry of labour in collaboration with the international Labour organisation recently revealed that nearly 730,000 children aged between five and 17 years were involved in sex in the districts of Lira, Kampala, Kabarole and Mbale," Yiga said.

Hyderabad : School and education are farthest from her mind. Her immediate task is to scrub clean the utensils around her and get ready for the next chore. A picture of innocence that pulls at heart. Very soon the City will be awash with this moving poster of the cute little girl.

The district administration is taking the battle for elimination of child labour right into people's hearts. It is going to coax, plead and coerce them to stop robbing the kids of their childhood. And in this Herculean task, the authorities have the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on their side.

In a change of tact a carrot and stick policy will be adopted. Parents who let their children slog will forfeit benefits accruing from government schemes while those who withdraw the kids from workplace will enjoy them. "We will also put social pressure on families employing children to create awareness," said Hyderabad Collector Arvind Kumar.

The ILO has recently approved a Rs. 3-crore project for elimination of child labour. During the next three years focussed strategies will be implemented to root out the menace in its entirety. The authorities plan to focus on domestic child labour who are more often bonded child labour. Most of them are acquired from their parents for a pittance and made to slog. The situation of girls is more pathetic as they are often sexually abused by their employers.

Girls are also preferred as they toil for long hours, eat less and do all kinds of work, it is said.

AMMAN — Save for minor developments, human rights conditions in the country did not improve in 2005.

In fact there was a noticeable regression, especially with regards to citizens' civil and political rights, National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) Director Ahmad Obeidat said Saturday.

During a press conference announcing the release of NCHR's second annual report, Obeidat expressed dismay at the "lack of any significant or positive development" in civil and political rights, saying the country's democratic process was negatively affected by the numerous changes of government.

"The fact that three governments were formed in 2005 led to some confusion and contradiction in regards to the country's policies on political reform and public liberty issues," Obeidat said.

The uncertainty surrounding the formation of each government and their different and contradicting agendas had a negative effect on both the democratic process and citizens' rights, he added.

The government of Prime Minister Adnan Badran, formed in April 2005, replaced that of Prime Minister Faisal Fayez.

In turn, that government went through a major reshuffle three months later and was replaced by Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit's Cabinet in November 2005.

"Furthermore, one of the governments that resigned had endorsed four temporary laws on important issues that touch on people's lives one day before it resigned and before Parliament convened," Obeidat said, adding that the measure was a clear violation of the Constitution.

Badran's government passed amendments to four temporary laws — income tax, customs, agriculture and state property — and gave them "urgency status."

According to NCHR report, other obstacles to the development of human rights in the Kingdom over the past year include attempts by the executive branch to curb public freedoms and place restrictions on political activity.

The report cited the professional associations' temporary law issued in March 2005, and meant to halt all political activity by the highly politicised associations. It also mentions a series of administrative restrictions imposed on political parties' activities, which heightened already tense ties.

The report cited a sharp increase in administrative arrests compared to 2004, with 513 detentions recorded in 2005.

Obeidat demanded a halt to the detention of suspects for interrogation, saying the practice infringes on personal safety and contradicts with the right to a fair trial.

He also said there were many violations, including the detention of suspects for weeks rather than the permitted 24 hours, and the use of physical force to extract information rather than hearing suspects' testimonies.

Regarding professional associations, the report cited the temporary draft law introduced in March 2005. The law, meant to curtail the political influence of the associations — which consist of 150,000 members — to make them focus on advancing the professions, was widely rejected. It was seen a result of tense ties between the government and the associations over the latter's scope of activities.

According to the report, not a single association was formed last year, and the teachers' guild is still banned by authorities.

There are more than 50,000 practising teachers, constituting 50 per cent of the country's public employees.

The amendment to the associations' bill came on the heels of a controversial legislation governing public gatherings. Under the Public Gatherings Law, numerous demonstrations and public rallies organised by political parties to protest hikes in oil prices and regional developments were banned, according to the report.

The NCHR said consecutive governments have not been able to come up with a democratic and transparent law governing political parties, but rather proposed a draft law imposing restrictions and placing obstacles to the formation of new parties.

The report also referred to the tug-of-war between the government and the Jordan Press Association (JPA) last year over a recommendation within the National Agenda for scrapping mandatory membership for journalists. The law stipulates that citizens cannot practise a profession unless they are members of the related association. The recommendation was seen by the JPA as targeting its existence and undermining its role amongst the 13 other associations.

Despite the mentioned setbacks in freedom of expression, the report said there was positive development, citing directives of His Majesty King Abdullah to ban the arrest and detention of journalists and a government decision to lift the ban on certain publications.

It also referred to the right of access to information law, which was sent to Parliament late last year, as a positive indicator.

Another positive development, according to Obeidat, was the reform in prisons and rehabilitation centres.

"There was a noticeable improvement on the conditions of inmates at rehabilitation facilities. These include treatment of inmates and the level of services provided," he said.

Obeidat said the number of complaints by inmates, claiming the security forces resorted to torture and abuse, dropped drastically from 250 in 2004 to 70 last year.

He said the authorities also allowed journalists and civil society institutions to visit the prisons and took new measures to update and computerise prison logs, as well as ease overcrowding in correctional centres by opening a new facility in the Muwaqqar area.

In its report, NCHR said despite the improvements, many problems remained, including a deficiency in healthcare, weak rehabilitation programmes, violence and drug use among inmates, and the use of force by security officials.

The 80-page report also highlighted human rights violations in various areas pertaining to personal safety. These include crime, medical malpractice, traffic accidents, drug use, disease, malnutrition and neglect in the workplace.

Most highlighted in that aspect is the death penalty, which according to current criminal laws apply to 30 types of crimes.

NCHR, which noted that 10 people were executed in 2005, urged that such a sentence only be handed down for the most extreme crimes.

According to the report, 19 are awaiting execution.

The report also referred to children's rights, noting the need for the ratification of international human rights conventions signed as early as 1961.

Obeidat and NCHR council member Shaher Bak said the worsening economic situation has led to a large number of children dropping out of schools and entering the labour force. Obeidat estimated the number of child workers to be 45,000-50,000.

"This is a huge number and it goes against all human rights conventions that Jordan is signatory to," he said, attributing the phenomenon to poverty. Both NCHR officials called on the government to come up with a comprehensive database on poverty and to reexamine the policies and operations of aid funds.

The report also called for amending several laws pertaining to citizenship, judiciary independence and performance, the State Security Court and environmental protection.

Lagos - For the first time in its history, Nigeria plans to have a policy on child labour in an effort to stamp out the practice under which an estimated 15 million children are subjected to various forms of child labour nation- wide.

According to the draft policy, it is aimed at providing "relevant beacons" for all stakeholders who are committed to eliminate child labour in Nigeria.

"Child labour presents a formidable challenge in many societies in view of its negative impact on the physical, cognitive, social, moral development and welfare of children," the draft said.

The policy will target children, parents, relevant government ministries and agencies, employers, trade unions, the media, NGOs, professional associations and social workers, among others.

Federal and state governments in Nigeria, in collaboration with civil society organisations and development partners, have campaigned relentlessly against child labour, enacting or reviewing a series of laws, labour regulations, codes of practice and bye-laws aimed at protecting children from child labour.

However, there has been no national policy to back the efforts.

Global estimates by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) put the number of working children in developing countries at 250 million, most of them in Africa.

An anti-child trafficking campaigner has called on the country's security agencies to collaborate with non-governmental organizations and the media in fighting the illicit practice.

Mrs. Hinson-Ekong, Executive Director of 'Rescue Foundation Ghana', observed that child trafficking has become a lucrative business involving a sophisticated network of powerful people who have the resources to peddle influence against efforts at fighting the practice.

She made the call at a workshop on child trafficking in Ho. Some 34 officers drawn from the country's security agencies in the Volta region took part. Mrs. Hinson-Ekong said it is equally important that both public and private institutions collaborate in developing their own networks and muscle in order to bust such powerful rings of traffickers.

She cautioned the security agencies to remain vigilant and resist attempts by respectable looking personalities and others in positions of power who might apply persuasion, coercion and other subtle methods to make them give up on pursuing such cases.

She urged them to alert the media and non-governmental organizations whenever they felt threatened by influential people during the cause of enforcing the law against the illegal practice. Mrs. Hinson-Ekong said apart from helping to enforce the laws on child trafficking, the agencies should educate each other and the public on the negative effects of the trade and the subtle methods used by the operators, as well as the need for everybody to be resolute in fighting it.

She said poverty could not be the main reason for child trafficking because poor families who let go some of their children because of their inability to cater for them would often go ahead to bear more children.

The factors fuelling child trafficking are a combination of poverty, ignorance and attitudes of parents, she said, and that these required a combination of approaches and strategies to confront.

She said the passage of the Human Trafficking Act, Act 694, last year, had provided the legal framework for tackling the problem, which must be bolstered with regular training workshops to equip the agencies with the tools to identify traffickers and their victims.

She explained that elements inherent in child or human trafficking are very comprehensive and involve movement of victims from one place to another, application of deception or coercion, abuse of power or position and their vulnerability.

It is also characterized by exploitation through slavery, servitude and forced labour.

Mrs. Emelia Oguaah, a Social Worker and Child Trafficking Researcher, said the practice has existed for a long time but remained unknown due to its clandestine nature and the complex situations, forms and channels through which it evolved.

She said the causes of child-trafficking include poverty related conditions in rural communities, high demand for cheap labour such as demand for maids in urban areas and in fishing areas, and the upsurge in the population of vulnerable children.

Some of the challenges identified by the security agencies in the fight against child trafficking are the porous nature of Ghana's borders, the unwillingness of parents and victims to co-operate in such matters and until now, the non-existence of the legal framework in dealing with and prosecuting offenders.

They also cited the "powerful people" who tend to use their influence and power to frustrate, intimidate and threaten those dealing with such problems, the absence of reception centres to which victims could be accommodated temporarily, and the refusal of some parents to accept such children back into their homes.

You may have seen Trocaire's Lenten campaign advertisement on TV or in the cinema in recent weeks. The campaign theme this year is child labour. Ireland must join the international programme to eliminate child labour, writes Justin Kilcullen.

The advertisement depicts a job interview between a coffee plantation owner in Nicaragua and a child. All of the conditions outlined in the advertisement are true - punishing long hours, hazardous working conditions, little pay, no support in case of illness or injury. The only slightly misleading feature is the scenario being depicted. No child would ever be granted the courtesy of having the appalling conditions in which she or he will work explained to them.

Child labour is about ruthless exploitation of young lives. Most thus exploited are condemned to a life of unceasing poverty and probably an early grave.

Not since Trocaire ran its campaign on modern day slavery in 2001 has there been such a public response to a Lenten campaign. It is interesting how the two issues are so closely linked.

Bonded labour, the modern form of slavery, also involves the exploitation of children. All told, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that more than 180 million children worldwide are caught up in unacceptable forms of child labour, that is one in six of the world's children.

While children have long been doing work the world over, and have made a positive contribution to domestic and even national income, the ILO distinguishes between this form of work and child labour which exposes children to harm or exploitation.

It includes hazardous work, such as that carried out by children in many coffee plantations in Nicaragua today, forced labour and labour performed by a child under a specified age for such work (eg quarry work). Such work interferes with a child's education and thus prevents the individual from eventually escaping the poverty trap.

Other forms of child exploitation also threaten their wellbeing: prostitution, pornography, forced recruitment into armed forces and trafficking.

The primary cause of child labour in the developing world is poverty. Family poverty pushes children into the labour market to earn money to supplement the family income or even as a means of survival. The lack of education, high dependence on an agricultural economy as a whole as well as traditions and cultural expectations are among factors that play a role in the occurrence of child labour.

More recently, the increased numbers of child-headed households, primarily linked to HIV/Aids and armed conflict, brings increased pressure on children to work. Policies to eliminate child labour must address the multidimensional nature of the problem.

What can Ireland do to play a greater role in eliminating this scandal from today's world?

The ILO is charged with implementing the international convention that outlaws child labour. It also assists countries in establishing programmes to eliminate this form of exploitation and supports programmes that help children to escape from their employers and go to school, enjoy their childhood and be prepared to lead a fulfilled adult life.

Ireland supports the work of the ILO. Indeed, following Trocaire's campaign on slavery and in response to public support for this, the Government undertook to support the organisation's work in countering bonded labour.

This year provides an opportunity for Ireland to make a further contribution to the work of the organisation. On May 4th next the International Labour Organisation will publish a global report focusing specifically on how member states are working to tackle the problem through the International Programme to Eliminate Child Labour.

That programme, Ipec, has set out the measures that need to be taken to tackle this scourge - achieving universal primary education, improving the quality of education and teachers, income support to families to defray the losses of money when their children go back to school and implementing legislation that outlaws child labour.

As yet Ireland does not support the Ipec. It is surely time to join the 30 donor countries that do so. Such an action will fit very well into Ireland's current overseas development aid priorities.

Sub-Saharan Africa, where Irish Aid focuses its efforts, is a major problem area. Ireland's priority countries for development aid are all members of Ipec. Indeed Tanzania has undertaken a time- bound programme of action to implement Ipec. But there is still a shortage of donor funds to assist developing countries in achieving the standards set out in this programme.

Given the emphasis on education and poverty reduction, such support would be a natural extension of Ireland's current priorities.

In June, the ILO will have its annual meeting. Between now and then Ireland should do a number of things:

Unless there is concerted action by wealthy governments, another generation of children will be condemned to a life of poverty.

Juvenile justice must take special circumstances and needs of children into account

The special needs of thousands of Iraqi children who find themselves in trouble with the law and being held in juvenile institutions as well as detention centres was the focus of a workshop that concluded today. Iraqi Government representatives, UNICEF and non-governmental organizations partners working with vulnerable and marginalized groups deliberated the issue for over five days.

”Juvenile justice and protective institutions must take the particular developmental needs of Iraqi children who do not live with their families into account,” stressed Roger Wright, UNICEF’s Special Representative for Iraq. “We know that children can be taught the difference between right and wrong, and go on to lead productive lives that contribute positively to their communities and society.”

He said that improving juvenile justice was, however, only one element of a complex and interrelated scenario. “While it is critical to address how children in detention are being treated, it is also crucially important to focus on reducing the vulnerabilities and circumstances that push children to the edge and into lifestyles which often result in law-breaking and criminality,” he added.

The workshop concluded with a deeper and broader understanding that will guide approaches towards juvenile justice and institutionalization, upgrade and strengthen the existing system as well as provide more child-friendly services. Over the last five days, 20 Government representatives from orphanages, reformatories and Ministries in Baghdad and northern Iraq learned more about international standards of juvenile justice and child rights. Follow-up training will soon be provided to other personnel, including social workers involved in Iraq’s juvenile justice system. The beneficiaries of this capacity building will be children in conflict with the law, those in juvenile reformatories as well as in detention, and their families.

The juvenile justice system in Iraq has suffered from neglect and disruption caused by 25 years of crises and conflicts. Acutely aware of the shortcomings within the current system, in October 2005, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) asked for technical support for the Juvenile Justice Department that would enable it to develop strategies, policies, programmes and initiatives. The aim was to provide quality services at international standards oriented toward securing a more protective environment for children.

According to a representative of the MoLSA, Iraq’s juvenile justice law and the rules, as well as the regulations for related institutions, will soon be modified to integrate the principles of the new Iraqi constitution, which are in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other international treaties, as well as to make them compatible with international standards on juvenile justice. While given certain circumstances, the detention of children in institutions appears unavoidable, “the pressing reality,” notes the MoLSA representative is that “families are the most important people in a child’s life.”

This is a view shared by UNICEF, which advocates reintegrating children into communities, with familiar settings and faces, rather than placing them in institutions. Nevertheless, as this may not always be possible, what is therefore sought is the creation of juvenile justice facilities that are ‘child-friendly’.

For 60 years UNICEF has been the world’s leader for children, working on the ground in 155 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Newly appointed Chairperson, National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), Padma Wettawe says that while Sri Lanka is facing alarming levels of child sexual exploitation, rape and child abuse, immediate steps need to be taken to implement programmes to help protect children.

Wettawe says that while many thousands of children are involved in the labour force in the island, discussions would be held with the government to increase the minimum age for labour from 14 to 18. "There are thousands of children who need to get a basic education. Instead of being in schools these children are on the roads and homes, working as domestics. We need to change the system entirely because our children are our future," she said in an interview with the Morning Leader.)

Q: You have been appointed head of the NCPA. What immediate plans do you have to look into the welfare of children who are abused, homeless and are living on the streets?

A: Sri Lanka is a tiny island and considering the country’s population there is a large number of children who need our help. There are thousands of children who do not get a basic education, thousands more living on the streets and working as domestics and there is an equal number who have been abused or sexually assaulted.

Therefore as the NCPA Chairperson it is my duty to address these issues with immediate concern as we need to reduce the rising numbers of child abuse and assault cases.

I have been a teacher for over 20 years and have worked closely with children of all ages — especially those in the rural areas. These children have a lot of talent but many are unable to show this talent due to poverty and domestic problems. To earn some money, these children are forced to work when they reach the age of 14.

In order to provide the necessary education I plan to work closely with the district and provincial authorities. Committees will be formed to look into the issues concerning children and we hope to provide help and therapy to all those children who need it.

I also plan to implement programmes to educate parents especially those in the rural areas as parents need to be educated on the importance of providing a basic education to their children.

Since I have been newly appointed a lot more programmes will be proposed in the future which I hope to implement to look after children who are suffering in the country.

Q: Sri Lanka and India have been countries termed as ‘paedophile havens.’ Sri Lanka has been battling a high rate of child prostitution, child sexual exploitation and child abuse, especially in the rural areas. What are the setbacks the country faces due to the numbers remaining at an alarming level?

A: Today, in Sri Lanka a large number of child sexual exploitation cases are reported from the rural areas. This is because these children have not received a basic education and have dropped out of school at an early age.

Although I need to do a lot of research since I am new in this field, it is an accepted fact that there are a lot of children who are sold by their parents in order to earn some money.

Children are also abused and forced into prostitution when there are problems at home such as the mother working overseas and the father being an alcoholic.

Domestic violence plays a very important role as a majority of children, victimised by abuse, sexual harassment and rape come from homes where the father is unemployed and has endless fights with the mother. Alcohol also poses a major problem in these houses.

Discussions will be held with various organisations and committess in identifying the groups which are operating in the country due to which many children are forced into sexual exploitation. Although I need to be briefed and need to study this whole paedophile issue in the island, committees will be formed to address these issues immediately.

It is also important to implement educational programmes, especially in the rural areas where the children and parents are educated on child sexual exploitation.

Furthermore, I also hope to hold discussions with the government in providing rehabilitation centers for children who have been victimised by sexual harassment and rape.

Q: What is the state of Sri Lankan children, when compared to children in other South Asian countries?

A: There are not much statistics available on child prostitutes but when compared to other South Asian countries, Sri Lankan children are in a better position. As child abuse, prostitution and sexual assault are being addressed to a great extent in this country people are aware of the situation.

Many other South Asian countries are still trying to recognise this problem whereas in Sri Lanka we have already begun providing assistance and programmes to the children.

Q: Currently, in Sri Lanka, how many children are involved in the labour force?

A: Well, in Sri Lanka the law permits children to work from 14 and above. Currently labour is divided into three categories — under 18, under 16 and under 14.

I cannot give the exact figures as to how many children are involved in the labour force as nobody has the exact figures and as I said I am still new in this field. There are thousands but what is reported is not reality.

Q: Which are the areas worst affected by child labour?

A: Urban areas such as Colombo, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Kandy have a large number of children working as domestics. This is because poverty is very high in these areas.

For child exploitation, coastal areas have been identified as the worst.

Q: Last year there was a large number of school drop outs. Currently how many children, especially in the rural areas, are out of the education stream?

A: Currently there is a very high drop out rate. These children usually tend to find some sort of work immediately.

There are many thousands of children who are non-schooling as they live on the streets and their parents cannot afford to send them to school. Many of these children are also sent to work as domestics to earn some money.

A large number of school drop outs have also been identified from the rural areas and the exact number in these areas reach up to several thousands.

While the lower grades have the highest drop out rate, grade one enrollment is still very high.

In order to make sure that children continue their education, parents have to be educated on the importance of a school education for their children.

Q: Children who drop out of school also tend to get addicted to alcohol and drugs. What can be done to save these children?

A: This is a very serious issue because children get attracted to the most deadliest things.

Below 18 years is the worst age because this is the age when children can easily be influenced by others. Nobody can really stop children from taking alcohol and drugs but steps should be taken to warn these children of the grave consequences of alcohol and drugs.

We need to establish healthy lifestyles for these children and introduce health education in schools islandwide.

Children, especially in villages, tend to take alcohol and drugs as they sit idle. Parents must also play role model to their children because a majority of the children who take alcohol and drugs come from families where the father is an alcoholic.

Q: Is the issue of child sexual exploitation being addressed in a proper manner?

A: No, because a lot needs to be done. We have not addressed the issue in a proper manner and the laws have to be more stern and programmes have to be implemented, especially in the areas affected by this menace. It will take several years to eradicate this issue but it is never too late to start.

Q: Currently children are permitted to work as domestics from 14 and above. Should this age be increased?

A: It should be increased as we would like to make it 18 and above. Therefore discussions will be held with the government on this issue.

Q: Soon after the tsunami, there was a serious threat of foreign paedophiles entering the country posing as volunteers. Has this issue now been sorted?

A: I have just entered this field therefore I need to do some research before answering this question.

Q: Do you think that Sri Lanka has a sufficient number of institutions and shelters for orphaned children and for those who have been victims of rape and abuse?

A: The numbers are below average as a lot more institutions and shelters need to be established.

Discussions will be held with the government and the necessary authorties to establish a sufficient number of institutions and shelters especially in the rural areas. Homes and shelters should be set up in all districts in the island rather than being restricted only to a few.

Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) Izmir deputy Hakki Ulku has proposed a new law for the prevention of the international exploitation of child labour that he submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) to deliberate upon.

Ulku proposes in the draft to limit imports to Turkey of all products that result from child labour with textile products coming at top of the list.

Speaking on the issue, the MP said that if the law was eventually passed by Parliament, Turkey's indirect contribution to products resulting from labour of children aged under 15 would come to an end and that "the exploitation of global capital in this way will be weakened and to a certain degree, placed under control".

Recalling that the Turkish Parliament had ratified the [ILO Convention No. 182] on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour and Immediate Measures to be Taken to Eliminate this Phenomenon on 25 January 2001, as Act 4623, Ulku said he expected his draft law to mature at various commissions and eventually be submitted to the General Assembly for approval.

Child rights denied

Millions of children throughout the world are estimated to be put to labour "in order to contribute economically to their families".

The physical and mental development of these children are affected negatively and as they are forced to work at a very young age, they are deprived of their right to education.

Although the exact number is not known, it is estimated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that at least 250 million children between the ages of 5-14 are made to work throughout the world and the number of children aged between 12-17 deprived of education due to work is approximately 285 million.

It is a reality that children under the age of 15 in under-developed or developing countries are used as illegal labour and exploited.

According to a [Turkish] State Institute of Statistics survey conducted in 1999, of the 16 million children in the country aged between 6 and 17, 1 million 635 thousand were involved in economic activities added up to 10.2 percent of the population at that age. It is estimated that this figure has reached 4 million today.

Children under the age of 18 years account for at least 50 percent of the country’s total population of 152 million. Around eight to 10 million children across the country are out of school and are working. These children face physical, sexual or emotional abuse in one form or the other.

According to unofficial estimates, about 10 million children were engaged in various forms of labour, however officially 3.5 children are part of the country’s labour force. Child labour along with corporal punishment at schools is believed to be a major cause of why children stay away from schools.

Figures collected by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reveal that there was no change in pattern of crimes against children in 2005 as 47 minor girls were gang-raped and 70 raped in the first three quarters of the year.

A study conducted by the Karachi-based help line for children, Madadgar, revealed an at least 280 percent rise in the number of cases of crimes against children during the first half of 2005. The help line reported 4,530 cases of child abuse at the end of 2004.

Statistics compiled by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), in its annual report for 2005, gave similar figures and disclosed that 1,549 children including 1,164 girls were sexually assaulted.

Moreover, a ‘national child labour survey’ conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics in 2005 found that out of 40 million children in the country between the ages of five and 14 years, 3.3 million were part of the labour force.

Maximum increase in child labour was reported in the agricultural sector. Similarly, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has stated that around 20 percent of child labour was due to poverty. Other factors included lack of skill learning opportunities, illiteracy and lack of awareness. According to unofficial estimates of ILO, between eight and ten million children were employed with half of this number out of school.

ILO has also said that available data indicated that of the 3.3 million children who are employed, 250,000 work as domestic servants and are highly vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse.

The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) annual report on the state of world’s children for 2005 placed Pakistan at 46 among 157 countries in terms of basic indicators for child welfare. An official of HRCP stressed the need for enforcement of ratified international conventions and other local legislations on child welfare. He said the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance and Punjab government’s Destitute and Neglected Children Act safeguard poor children’s rights but these laws were not being implemented.

He said the universal primary education system must be guaranteed and access to schools should be made possible for every child in the country besides improving basic facilities such as health and education. “Laws to protect children from sexual and physical abuse need to be enforced. Health workers, teachers, community activists and others must be trained to recognise abuse and take action to ensure the safety of victims,” he said.

By John Schenk - MEER Communications Manager-Russia is becoming a new destination for child sex tourism, just one part of a larger disturbing trend of more juveniles in all aspects of the sex trade, charges a report on human trafficking in Russia funded by the Canadian government and supported by six United Nations agencies and the International Organization of Migration (IOM).

Child pornography is also cited as a rapidly growing Russian industry with little restraint offered by light court sentences. The Russian variety tend towards a particularly cruel emphasis on scenes of child torture, write the authors of Inventory and Analysis of the Current Situation and Responses to Trafficking in the Russian Federation, a 150-page reported funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

"Like human trafficking cases of adults, the level of exploitation affecting children has become such that the problem has ceased to be just marginal, becoming institutionalised and operating as an established system. Mechanisms of such exploitation are becoming part of 'standard' economic and social practices and are operating relatively openly," says the report.

"The growing rate of child trafficking and other transactions involving minors is becoming a threat on a global scale. Transitional economies, which include Russia and the whole CIS region, are a 'breeding ground for trouble' in this area. Child trafficking is widespread both within these countries and across their national borders," write the report's authors.

Some experts claim approximately 20 per cent to 25 per cent of Moscow's between 80,000 and 130,000 sex workers are minors, says the report. The most conservative estimates claim not less than 17,000 minors are sex workers within Russia. The report notes that one in seven of the 92 criminal charges about "adults" coerced into prostitution in 2002 turned out to involve minors.

Canada, Great Britain and the United States have laws specifically against child sex tourism with penalties ranging from 10 to 30 years, the report says. It claims Russian laws citing "trafficking in minors" and "organisation of prostitution with deliberate use of minors" do not explicitly target child sex tourism and says "punishment envisaged for these offences" is only a maximum four-year prison term.

"There is an explosion of slavery in the world and of highly professional and sophisticated child exploitation in our region (MEER)," said Sharon Payt, advocacy director for MEER. "The traffickers have organized themselves, exploiting technologies like the internet. Global trends show human trafficking is increasing in such a way that we don't know where its going. It ranks as one of the major human rights abuses of this new century.

"We've got to be more intentional. A whole body of resources have become available in the last few years that could be organised to assist children. Our response will require our best thinkers and strategic co-operation," she said.

The Canadian-funded report says leading reasons children are being trafficked are for exploitation in sex tourism and pornography, cheap labour in manufacturing, agriculture and domestic environments and for begging. To a lesser extend they are used for organ and tissue transplants and illegal adoptions.

"Even in cases where they (women and girls) have entered the sex trade industry voluntarily, they are still vulnerable to more extreme types of exploitation that push conditions to a situation of sexual slavery," says the report. "In such cases of organised prostitution, most of it can be assumed to fall within the category of human trafficking."

The authors also cited official Russian crime statistics for 2002 which they said indicate disturbing trends in children as victims of sexual and violent crimes:

Every third violent crime of a sexual nature (36.9 per cent) was committed against a minor.

Every fourth rape victim (27.7 per cent of a total of 2,099 cases) and every second victim (43.5 percent of a total of 235,515) of violent acts of a sexual nature was underage

Every fourth victim of sexual harassment, including harassment of a homosexual nature (29.8 percent of 25 cases) was a minor

Every fifth victim of sexual killings was a child or an adolescent.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/wvmeero/738456c77d801ec74eddb40555109d00.htm