Final Project for WHAP Course!

1. Child Trafficking
By Mallory Croley

2. What is child trafficking?
• The illegal movement of children for the use of slave labor or sexual
exploitation.
• The trafficked children may be forced to work in sweatshops, construction
sites, or in domestic houses as slaves.
• Many end up as child beggars or in wars as child soldiers.
AP Themes…
• As seen in India, China, and Sub-Saharan Africa, child labor has become a
huge global issue that is often connected with child trafficking.
• This connection shows us a pattern throughout World History: that many
global issues are connected and repeated and in this case, occur in areas
where law enforcement is slim (third world countries).
• If we break the chain of repetition and focus on stopping all illegal
exploitation of children we can not only help decrease child trafficking
worldwide, but we can also stop the use of child labor and child soldiers.

3. Where does it occur?
• Child trafficking is a GLOBAL ISSUE that
is a current and ongoing problem.
• It has been statistically shown that Nigeria has some of the highest
trafficking levels around the world.
• Nigeria is a transit center and destination country in Africa for trafficked
children, especially young girls.
• Trafficked girls are recruited from all over Nigeria by trafficking men who are
involved in illegal businesses. Trafficked children are most often taken from
Nigeria and shipped to other African countries, primarily Cameroon, Ghana,
Benin, Togo, and Gambia. However, some are forced to work in Nigeria, subject
to hazardous jobs unless they are quickly rescued by family or other global
organizations.

4. The Kidnapped Schoolgirls
• 300 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped LAST MONTH (April
2014) from their boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria by the Islamist
militant group Boko Haram.
• The young and innocent schoolgirls are suspected to be in the
Northeastern area of Nigeria’s Sambisa Forest which has long
been a hideout for Nigerian smugglers and traffickers.
• Although no one has yet discovered the missing Nigerian girls,
many countries and organizations are working day and night to
save the trafficked children.
• The White House announced on May 21 that the US will send 80
troops to Chad in an effort to rescue the kidnapped girls and
punish the Islamist group that trafficked them into slavery.
• Click Here for a link to an article that provides more in depth
information on the current event taking place in Nigeria!

5. Global Campaign
#bringbackourgirls
• All around the globe, organizations,
politicians, celebrities, and activists
are raising awareness about the
devastation the Nigerian families
and schoolgirls are facing. They
continue to search and advocate for
the young children to help highlight
the injustice faced by trafficked
children.
• With this current issue, the world
has come together in unity to help
find the missing girls as we have
seen with many other historical
events such as the genocide in
Rwanda, poverty in 3rd world
countries, and the unjust use of
child soldiers in warzones.

6. Why does Trafficking Occur?
• Although child trafficking is prohibited by law and illegal in most
countries, it still occurs in areas of poverty where money is most
often made by illegal practices such as smuggling, hunting, and
trafficking.
• In Nigeria there is already an extensive marketplace for children
who are abducted by traffickers due to other global issues such as
child labor and other conflicts.
• Due to the illegal global market connected between most third
world countries, the issue persists despite certain bans and
outlaws on trafficking because it is poorly enforced and occurs in
areas with decentralized governmental control.
• The leader of the Boko Haram group who kidnapped the Nigerian
girls stated ""I will sell them in the market, by Allah. There is a
market for selling humans."

7. Cont…
• The International Labor Organization estimates that about 1.2
million children are trafficked worldwide.
• As many as 27 million women, men, and children have
become victims of trafficking around the globe.
• Because borders are often porous and law enforcement is
weak in third world countries, trafficking persists.
~Nigeria ranks as a Tier 2
country in human trafficking—
meaning that its leaders are
making efforts to fight
trafficking but it doesn't
comply with the minimum
standards of the Victims of
Trafficking and Violence Act.

8. How can I help??
• Raise Awareness – Thousands all over the globe have joined in on the
#bringbackourgirls campaign. So should you! Teach people about the
dangers of child trafficking and encourage them to spread the word about
the lost schoolgirls. The more educated our world, the better.
• Stay informed on global issues – The more educated our society is about
worldly issues and policies, the better suited we are to make a change!
Watch the news, stay updated on current events, and keep track of the
current issue in Nigeria.
• Implement Anti-Trafficking strategies to secure borders - All 50 US states
have reported cases of trafficking in the last few decades. So as US
citizens, we should encourage our government and policy makers to
implement laws to secure all borders and identify all children entering and
leaving the US.
• Organize a Fundraiser and donate the proceeds to anti-trafficking
organizations such as the UNICEF “End Trafficking Project” .

9. You CAN make a Difference
• Join in on UNICEF’s “End Trafficking Project” – This project works
through the UNICEF organization to raise awareness about child
trafficking around the world and encourage communities to take
actions in protecting children’s rights.
• Donate to UNICEF – Visit UNICEFUSA.org and donate money to the
Child Protection Program.
• Write to your government!! Lobbying governments and partners to
develop new laws that strengthen child protection systems.
• The US should support and train all professionals and social workers
who work directly with children so that they can learn to detect the
signs of abuse, trafficking, and exploitation among young boys and
girls.
• Have an ANTI-TRAFFICKING DAY! – Assign one day a year, such as
the day the Nigerian girls were abducted, to remember the
importance of ending child trafficking. Students may choose to
participate in a “day of silence” during school hours to remember
those who have been abducted or abused via child trafficking.

10. Sources! • "Child Trafficking." UNICEF USA. N.p., n.d.
Web. 21 May 2014.
• Conant, Eve. "Nigeria's Schoolgirl Kidnappings Cast
Light on Child Trafficking."National Geographic.
National Geographic Society, 15 May 2014. Web. 20
May 2014.
• "Prevention of Human Trafficking Must Begin
before the Border." Left Foot Forward. N.p., n.d.
Web. 21 May 2014.