Stepping Up International Trafficking Prevention

Every year some 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders and some 27 million people remain enslaved across the globe, over half of which are children. Romania is in no way an exception from the scourge of modern slavery, as children, are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation and forced begging. Roma girls are especially vulnerable for victimization from trafficking both internally and externally.

Earlier this month in Romania more than 40 representatives of national and international NGOs, Churches and government committed to combating human trafficking met in Bucharest to establish the most efficient and effective strategies for trafficking prevention campaigns. The conference set out to find the most effective identification programs, efficient and consistent laws, therapy and support systems, as well as reintegration strategies trafficking victims. The program began in February 2008 through World Vision Romania, with a pilot project dedicated to preventing human trafficking in a rural areas, where large scale migration has increased the children's risk and exposure to trafficking.

'there are many people interested in working abroad, especially young people who are ‘charmed’ into believing unverified success stories presented by friends or relatives who have already left the country in search of a better life. Our work in this community right now consists of organizing monthly informational sessions for over 180 children and vocational courses for another 60 young people in the community, in order to help them access better jobs, here in Romania’, said WVR project coordinator. (World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO))

It is fitting that the conference took place in Bucharest, home to thousands of street children, some estimate as high as 10,000. Boys and girls who plague the cities streets begging by day and filling their nights sniffing glue to erase the pains of hunger and abuse that shrouds their lives. Young boys and girls, some only mere toddlers, who often fall prey to sex tourists and traffickers. This months conference is a step in the right direction in working to see these children of the streets, and so many others across Romania and the globe are properly identified, and that successful and sustainable prevention, prosecution, treatment and rehabilitation programs are established.

Links:
UNICEF Romania – Evaluation of Anti-trafficking Policies in Romania
UNICEF – Guidelines on the Protection of Child Victims of Trafficking