Latest modern slavery fight updates - FreedomUnited.org

Tourists: Think Twice About Giving to Orphanages

  • Published on
    September 12, 2018
  • News Source Image
  • Category:
    Child Slavery, Human Trafficking, Law & Policy
Hero Banner

Cases of children being trafficked to orphanages in Southeast Asia are on the rise. Incredibly, many of these children actually have a living parent but have been trafficked to orphanages in a scheme to tempt tourists into donating money.

Take Action: End Orphanage Child Trafficking.

Anti Slavery International estimates that of the 8 million kids placed in orphanages around the world, 80% still have at least one living parent. Given the severity and prevalence of orphanage trafficking, many campaigners are calling on the crime to be treated as a form of modern slavery in law.

Sputnik reports:

Lumos, an international non-governmental charity founded by British author J.K. Rowling with the aim of ending the institutionalisation of children worldwide renewed its calls for orphanage trafficking to be recognised legislatively as a form of modern slavery.

During a recent meeting of the Anti Trafficking Monitoring Group at the House of Lords in Westminster for the launch of a new report “Before the Harm is Done.” Lumos said it was “encouraged” that orphan trafficking has been included in the report.

Abigal Munroe from Lumos tweeted, “We @lumos are encouraged by inclusion of #orphanagetrafficking in ATMG report – as a highly preventable form of trafficking. Addressing underlying vulnerabilities is crucial to #traffickingprevention which is why we focus on in-country #communitystrengthening and #childprotection”

In April 2017, a survey undertaken by the Cambodian government and the United Nations children’s fund (UNICEF) found that 16,500 children are living in around 400 orphanages in Cambodia.

It is thought many directors of these orphanages view vulnerable children as a business opportunity.

The ‘Before the Harm is Done’ report also accuses the British government of lacking a clear plan to prevent child trafficking in the UK, noting that there was a 66% increase in child trafficking cases in the UK from 2016 to 2017.

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ángeles Pintos
Ángeles Pintos
5 years ago

One word: UN.BEL.IEV.ABLE.

This week

India’s shrimp industry contaminated by forced labor, hazardous conditions, new investigations reveal

The insatiable demand for shrimp in Western countries has led to the rapid expansion of hatcheries and processing plants across traditional farming communities in India. However, according to recent investigations by Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL), the Associated Press and Outlaw Ocean, not only are the new hatcheries and processing plants contaminating the water and soil making it almost impossible to staple grow crops like rice, they also hide

| Wednesday March 20, 2024

Read more