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News note
Background on Child Trafficking
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West Africa
is a major child trafficking route. In this case, a boat from Benin
believed to be carrying child slaves was rejected by Cameroon and
Gabon. It returned to Benin.
This map does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal
status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.
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UNICEF is greatly concerned about the plight of children forced into
labour and trafficked within and across country borders. We know that
at least some 200,000 children are trafficked every year in West and
Central Africa. These children are employed on fishing vessels and farms,
in the sex trades and in sweatshops or in homes as domestic labourers.
Organized crime networks profit from their exploitation.
UNICEF is working to end this cruel and inhuman treatment of children
through education and working with governments to outlaw human trafficking.
News Notes and Press releases on child trafficking
UNICEF
urges demobilization/reintergration of child soldiers Tues.
29 Oct.
UNICEF
negotiates with LTTE for recruited children Thurs.20 June
UNICEF calls
for release of child soldiers by LRA Tues. 5 Mar
UNICEF hails new
treaty banning child soldiers Tues. 12 Feb. 2002
2001
Ex-child soldier
addresses Security Council Tues., 20 Nov
UN leaders hail new step banning children
as soldiers Tues.20 Nov
Five months later, child soldiers go home
to Sudan, Wed., 29 August
Ex-child soldiers begin new lives in Rwanda
Mon, 20 August
Sri Lankan children still recruited for wars
Friday, 20 July
Sierra Leone releases 150 more child soldiers
Monday, 4 June
Côte d'Ivoire intercepts child soldiers
from Burkina Faso June
In Angola children released, but worry persists
Sat, 26 May
Hundreds of child soldiers freed in Sierra Leone Friday,
25 May 20
In Angola, a call for release
of 60 abducted children
Tues., 8 May
UNICEF renews aid for children in Sierra Leone
Thurs , 19 April
Carol Bellamy on the airlift of child soldiers
in Sudan Tues, 27 Feb
2,500 demobilized child soldiers out of Sudan Tuesday, 27
Feb
UNICEF finds 163 Congolese child soldiers in Uganda Tuesday,
20 Feb
UNICEF assesses Congolese child soldiers in Uganda
Wed, 14 Feb
UNICEF applauds agreement with Uganda on child
soldiers Fri, 9 Feb
Children in armed conflict to the Panel on
Optional Protocol Wed., 31 Jan
Security council debates issue of children in war Wed, 26
July
Angola: Call for immediate release of 21 abducted
children Fri, 14 July
2000
Sudan rebels give UNICEF a guarantee
on child soldiers, Oct 24
Bellamy in Winnipeg on war-effected children Wed, 13 Sept
Graça Michel calls for an end to impunity
against war crimes Wed., 13 Sept
UNICEF hails new Security Council decision
on children and war Fri,
11 Aug
Bellamy to Security
Council on protection of children in conflict
Wed, 26 July
Hague Appeal for
Peace: Children as catalysts for peace Wed.,
12 May
1999
To the
Humanitarian Issues Working Group: the catastrophe in Kosovo Tues.
6 Apr
To the Security
Council: A peace and security agenda for children Fri.,
12 Feb
More information on child labour and trafficking
Child trafficking in West and Central
Africa: An overview Choose either a summary
or the full paper. (PDF, Acrobat
Reader required).
Presentation of a paper by Dr. Rima Salah, UNICEF Regional Director
for West and Central Africa, at the First Pan-African Conference on
Human Trafficking, Abuja, 19-23 February 2001.
Common Platform for Action (PDF,
Acrobat
Reader required).
Signed by West and Central African governments in February 2000, at
a consultation in Libreville, Gabon, the common platform lists characteristic
traits and main causes of child trafficking and proposed actions.
Listening to Children: Child
workers in the shadow of AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa This
study goes beyond the statistics to hear the voices of young workers
in Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda. Their
stories create a picture of neglect, isolation and vulnerability to
sexual exploitation, to physical and verbal abuse and to grinding
poverty. 
UNICEF Programmes: Child
Labour
Includes basic facts, causes, hazardous occupations, the worst forms
of child labour, UNICEF's approach to child labour, and more.
UNICEF Programmes: Child Protection
Index to UNICEF's programme information on child protection, including
child labour, trafficking and other issues.
How you can help
Make
a donation to UNICEF programmes
Also of interest
Quiz: what do you know about
child labour?
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