Children

“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace.”
– Kofi Annan

Today on the Foreign Policy Association’s parent site they ran one of their many analysis pieces, this one was for the topic of Children’s Rights. Please see the article, Great Decisions Analysis: Child Trafficking, and their many other great resources and analysis pieces.

To accompany the piece on child trafficking, I wanted to give you some resources, so you could gain a better understanding of the situation of child trafficking and sex tourism. In addition the list will leave you with organizations and ways that you can become involved in the fight to end child trafficking.

LINKS
2006 TIP Report
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Human Trafficking
Millions Live in Modern-Day Slavery
New Internationalist; Slavery in the 21st Century
Foreign Affairs: The New Global Slave Trade
I Abolish
Stop Child Poverty
International Labor Rights Fund
National Geographic Map - Slavery by Country with Facts
Stop Child Trafficking
Child Trafficking
Polaris Project
Anti Trafficking Alliance
Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Woman
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
‘Guidence for Identifying a Child Victim of Trafficking’ by USCCB
ILO
The Emancipation Network
AFESIP
U.S. State Dept. - Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons
Amnesty International: Women’s Human Rights Network
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The US Department of Health Administration for Children and Families - The Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking

BLOGS
Fading Hope
Stolen Childhood

See my post on April 13, 2007, One Day Without the Internet vs. A Life of Slavery, How Does Isolation Help it Spread?, for links to petitions you can sign.

Sign the “Increase Resources to Combat Child Sex Tourism” petition.

When talking with the American reporter, Leo DiCaprio says, “Maybe we should all just write about it then”. His cynical view is right in many ways, but here I am writing about it. Will I end the plight of any child soldiers in the world with this post? The truth is directly, most defiantly not, but if I can make a few people see the reality, I will feel a bit better. Yet, then again what good is knowing the reality of a situation you are almost entirely powerless to stop? I know I will not personally end any cause, but how can I quit writing about it! I must at least make my voice heard for the millions of people, especially children, who have been silenced by war and destruction. I do feel powerless, and I would give anything if I could end this horrid practice in just one country, but what can I do? I am willing given the opportunity to work in the field more, and I hope I will have the opportunity to do so, but it is not a fruitful effort for most. Idealism comes with a heavy price on ones heart and soul! But does that mean one should not try, no! We must continue to fight at all costs, for it is the only way for hope to begin. Wars in Africa are a daily occurrence, killing and violence have been all so many have known. Then again just because it is all you know do you continue to do it?

“Do you think I’m exploiting his grief…your right its like one of those infomercials with little black babies with swollen bellies, flies in their eyes…I’ve got dead mothers, severed limbs…Its not enough, it may make someone cry if they read it or even write a check, but its not enough to make it stop…I’m sick of writing about victims but its all I can do…people back home wouldn’t buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand…”(Maddy Bowen, the American Report in the movie)

What do you, Jane and Joe Average America do? Firstly you can begin to listen and not just read a story, or watch a movie, feel bad and then go about your daily lives forgetting it all tomorrow. Be a conscious consumer, write your congressman, take a stand and speak out, inform others, etc… The next line from the movie is what hits home the most for me, illustrating how those in need do not understand how we could not help them if we knew what was happening. This is a conversation between Solomon Vandy, the Sierra Leonean man fighting for his family, and the American reporter, Maddy Bowen.

“You are writing about what is happening here?”
“Yes!”
“So when people in your country read it they will come help us?”
“Probably not!”

The one problem with ‘Blood Diamond’ is that it’s a movie, but the reality is far from a Hollywood drama, conflict diamonds are real, child soldiers are a reality, and the story is far from over! The true story of the victims of conflict diamonds, human slavery, war, and child soldiers, does not have a happy ending. The end of the movie ends with the world outraged, the people listening, the press able to finally write the story, and have it told…but alas it is a Hollywood movie.

The movie ‘Blood Diamond’ is a good start at awareness, but let us not stop there. We must find a way to have a society which is not ruled by greed or run by war. To have a society that strips away the innocence of its children for the sake of nothing more than jewelry! What is a diamond if nothing more than jewelry, does it really give one power, or buy freedom? Does a diamond change the world and bring peace, relieve the masses from poverty and economic hardship, no! I know that there has been progress and I do not dispute for one minute that progress has been made, and much more came from this movie, but the war is far from over. Those of us in the West need to look at Africa, not as this one giant place that we know for nothing more than a place off in the distance, a land of safaris and exotic things. For greed rules the continent of Africa, and we sit in our American idealism and isolation, only awoken when Hollywood gets involved.

What is the situation of ‘blood diamonds’ today and how do you know if your diamonds are ‘blood free’? In May of 2000 discussions began in Kimberly, South Africa, however it took two years of negotiations to finalize and ratify the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) on January 1, 2003, however 24 countries failed the requirements and thus only 40 made the list. Despite the good intentions, and much work in helping to eliminate conflict diamonds, the process is far from perfect.

“Despite the progress made, three years after its establishment the KPCS has not been able to fully address, monitor and end the international trade in conflict diamonds”- Amnesty International, 21 June 2006

Conflict diamonds are still making their way into the market, children are still working in the mines, and kidnapped for use as child soldiers. Diamonds are not so precious and rare as so many would like to believe, the completion is fierce, and when completion is high many are not eager to put more restrictions and regulations in place. In addition heavy regulations only push many in the trade farther into the dark, and those operations on the sidelines may even increase their illicit and violent ways for the sake of greed in the diamond trade.

The biggest failure of the Kimberly Process is that it allows recognized governments an easy pass in the process, therefore a diamond maybe deemed ok if the government it’s self is seen as clear, and this may eliminate that the profits of diamonds falling into rebel hands to fuel wars, but it does not indicate that the diamonds themselves where mined in an acceptable manner, without the use of slaves, child labor, etc. This causes great worry as the diamond industry claims that 99% of diamonds are conflict free and traded through the Kimberly Process, leaving the public to think that the issues related to ‘blood diamonds’ has been almost totally resolved and little more is needed to be done, but this is a far cry from the truth. More than 200,000 child soldiers continue to fight in Africa and we cannot forget them with the diamonds. Even if we have cleaned the blood off of many new diamonds, the money still flows from the blood of others, and continues to circulate freely in many nations, continuing to fuel conflict.

Links:
The Kimberly Processes
Global Witness
Invisible Children - A documentary movie about child soldiers in Uganda
Fatal Transactions
Diamond Facts - World Diamond Council (WDC)
The True Cost of Diamonds - The Kimberly Process; Amnesty International
Global Policy Forum - Diamonds in Conflict
USAID - Peace Diamonds for Sierra Leon
CNN - Diamonds aren’t Forever
UN- Conflict Diamonds
EU and the Kimberly Process

I wasn’t going to write a piece on a movie, but I have heard so much talk about one in particular that I feel I cannot ignore its effect on the general population. After having so many people approach me since the release of Blood Diamond, and even more since it came out on DVD, I figured I better address the conversations and questions I get. I feel like some people are finally getting a bit of a reality shock. I have been inundated with people telling me, “I saw Blood Diamond…I couldn’t believe my eyes…I couldn’t even finish the movie…”. Many of my friends finally got why I do what I do, and why I am so passionate about telling people everywhere I go about the plight of people around the world. Unfortunately it also reminded me of how little people think it affects them, as most people who mentioned the movie to me also said, “…but how does it affect me, we have our own problems here in America to deal with, like healthcare…”

The movie is set in Sierra Leone in 1999, and yes the war in Sierra Leone is now over, since 2002, although it is a rocky peace and it will take a long time to rebuild from the years of war. Blood Diamond clearly shows the use of child soldiers, civil wars lead by greed and human slaves, including children. I for one am happy to see movies of this caliber on any subject of this, or similar matters, like Lord of War, Last King of Scotland, Hotel Rwanda and so on. Unfortunately, and I am not trying to be cynical here, but I believe the average American will not know about these issues if they are not portrayed by Hollywood actors on the big screen. I don’t mean to say the general American public is ignorant, but merely under or uninformed. We all know now that we failed to report or do much about so many problems, we failed Rwanda and it took ten years before many people even knew the reality of what happened, and that was all thanks to Hollywood. So thank you to Blood Diamond, as now maybe people will see the reality of the 300,000 child soldiers, the millions of human slaves around the world, arms trade, and the number of conflicts that are still brewing around the world.

I have written in previous blogs about the use of child soldiers and why they are so desired, especially in Africa. The movie shows how children are indoctrinated into this forced life of violence, how they are broken down, and their will to be a free child is quickly turned into that of survival. A child ripped away from his mother’s arms, to fight a war he knows little about, for a cause that no one seems to be sure what is. Child solders being fueled with drugs and alcohol, pumped up by gangster rap, lies, fear, and greed…this is no dramatization, nor is the amputations of hands of men, women and children, is no lie…the scenes in this movie are not over played. No matter how violent this movie appears to your eyes, it is far less violent than the reality that was faced by the men, woman and children who experienced this life every day. The were not able to turn off the TV and go back to their happy lives, live with their modern luxuries…they were not even able to sleep in peace, while we lie snuggly in our warm homes.

Part 1 of 2…

Today, May 15th is International Day of Families, and I wanted to take this time to honor the family. Having a loving and caring family is something none of us should ever take for granted, unfortunately most of us do. We take it as right, we complain about out siblings, our parents, and often take little time to truly get to know the depth of those around us. Yes, of course we love our families without questions, but do we know them? I ask you to take time today to talk to your families, have a meal together and actually listen to what everyone has to say. Remember that we are blessed to be part of a family, no matter how weird or annoying the are, they are ours and we need to treasure them!

There are millions of children around the world who wake up every morning longing for a family, and at the same moment a childless mother and father pray for a family. Families are not defined by blood, they are defined by love, so if you are dreaming of a family of your own remember that hope is never lost and a child is out there waiting for you. Don’t forget the children around the world living their lives in orphanages, the children in the US who are shuffled around the foster care system. A family is a gift, but for some the gift does not come easy, but hope is never lost.

Photo

Enjoy your day and enjoy your Family!

Mark Vallen from his series Art for Change

They are your children, though you cannot and do not see them. They are all of our children…the parentless, homeless, abused, innocent victims of war, and the unloved children of the world.

Why are they our children? Because they are the future, they are the future politicians, war lords, business leaders, suicide bombers, teachers, terrorists, writers, dictators and presidents.

If our actions, love and understanding lead a child on the right path today, taking them out of war and strife, then how do we sit idly by and do nothing?

A future teacher or terrorist…The choice is ours!

I’m sitting here doing my Sunday night ritual of watching “Extreme Home Makeover” so I can have my weekly reality check and have a good cry. I wanted to especially tune into night as the show was about a family from my home town, Kansas City, but also because it was about a family who’s mission was to keep 5 children out of foster care. I am planning to write an in depth article about the issue of foster care soon, but tonight’s episode reminds me I can’t write about it too much.

The show was about the Jacobo family, a family of 6, who was suddenly turned into a family of 12. Jesus and Michelle Jacobo took in their 5 nieces and nephews, after their mother had the children taken away due to child abuse. The Jacobo’s spent a great deal of time cutting through the red tape trying to get the children placed in their care, and get them out of the foster care system. They promised the children that they will all stay together and would never again be abused or separated. The mission of this family is to give nothing but love and security to these 5 children.

Everyday children are abused and neglected, but the saddest part of this crime is that few of them will see their suffering end in the new future. Every year we see a shocking number of child abuse cases reported, approximately 2 million.

60% of child victims experience neglect
20% are physically abused
10% are sexually abused
7% are emotionally maltreated
(The Family Resource Center)

There are more than a million children in the US Foster Care system, less than a quarter of which are available for adoption. The goal of the foster care system is to be temporary, a place for children to be safely cared for by temporary parents, until their own families are able to care for them. Unfortunately for many children the system is far from temporary, and foster care will be all they know until they turn 18.

But what tonight’s episode reminded me of the most was, that we need to all pay better attention to the children around us. We need to look for the signs of abuse and listen to children, so that we can take them out of abusive homes. So please don’t forget to listen to the children you know, and never, ever ignore the signs of abuse…report any signs of child abuse you see or hear. Children are our precious future and they never deserve any form of abuse or neglect, so please watch out for them.

Please look forward to my coming post on Foster Care and Adoption.

Links:
Signs of child abuse - Child Welfare Information Gateway
How to Report Child Abuse (Includes State Phone Numbers)
The Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Foster Care Adoption in the United States: A State by State Analysis of Barriers and Promising Approaches
Adopt Us Kids
Child Molestation Research and Prevention Institute
Love Our Children USA
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse

More about the J Family:
The Kansas City Channel
The Catholic Key
The Kansas City Channel - Link, footage and more

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 12, 2007, is World Fair Trade Day, this years theme is “Kids Need Fair Trade,”. Please take this day to think about what you buy, where it comes from, and how you are affecting the future of the worlds children. Start teaching your children today the value of fair trade, and its impact on other children all over the world. Your children are tomorrows leaders and consumers, and if they learn now the value of fair trade, then the future for millions of other children is safe hands.

Fair Trade means a fair wage, and with a fair wage becomes so much more than just more income for a family, it is a sustainable solution. A fair wage means, better labor practices, less exploitation, a better environment, more economic freedom and helps to create more opportunities…especially for children.
Fair Trade means children have a chance to stay in school, for it keeps children under 18 out of the work force if it keeps them out of school, and with education comes a promise of a better future.

A fair trade community does not just allow children to go to school, but it ensures that a community is able to develop more opportunities for their children, including cleaner water, better nutrition and medical care.

Please refer back to my post, ‘Human Slavery Today Versus Yesterday Continued…‘, on April 25th

Links
Sweatshop Watch - Has a shopping guide
Make Trade Fair
Fairtrade Foundation
Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO)
Fair Trade Federation
Support Fair Trade
Fair Trade Resource Network
Fair Trade Federation
Global Exchange
IFAT - The international Fair Trade Association
Transfair USA
Fair Trade DC
/manderson.home.igc.org/teacherguide/index.html”>KIDS and FAIR TRADE - A Teacher’s and Parent’s Guide

Do not let children continue to suffer for our own ignorance!