World Vision asks Canadians to help end child slavery

Agency launches major campaign against child labour and trafficking

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 11, 2012 /CNW/ - Today World Vision Canada is launching a three-year campaign against child slavery. The relief, development and advocacy organization's End Child Slavery campaign is focused on boys and girls who are pushed, forced or trafficked into 3D jobs - dirty, dangerous, and degrading.

"Millions of children around the world face each day filled with fear, struggling to survive as domestic servants, sex slaves, street beggars, or cheap labourers in mines and factories," says Caroline Riseboro, vice-president of Public Affairs, World Vision Canada. "This work is damaging their bodies, minds and well-being. Many are not able to leave these situations. As Canadians, we'd be horrified to see this happen in our own country - it's time to demand safety and security for children everywhere."

Through the End Child Slavery campaign, World Vision is asking Canadians to help put an end to the worst forms of child labour. Visitors to the campaign website (endchildslavery.ca) can sign a petition to ensure the Canadian government is:

1)     Specifically addressing the needs of children in any efforts to stop human trafficking;

2)     Stopping child trafficking from happening in the first place.

As the campaign develops, there will be additional ways for Canadians to take action, including becoming a more informed consumer.

"Canadians will be shocked to learn how they might be connected to child slavery in other countries. The website -- endchildslavery.ca - will help people understand their own connection and what they can do to help," says Riseboro.

MEDIA TELECONFERENCE TODAY AT 10:30 am (EDT)
WHAT:	Media teleconference regarding World Vision Canada's End Child Slavery campaign. The organization's child protection specialist will discuss child labour and trafficking issues and how Canadians and our government can take action to help.
WHO:	Carleen McGuinty is the child protection specialist for World Vision Canada. She is a strong advocate for laws, policies, and programs that tackle child labour and trafficking. Most recently, Carleen has provided input to the Government of Canada on the development of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.  Frequent field visits, including Haiti, Dominican Republic, Philippines, and Bangladesh, have allowed Carleen to research and base recommendations on World Vision's extensive firsthand experience.
WHEN:	Wednesday, April 11 at 10:30 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
HOW:	From within Canada, call 1-877-668-4493 and enter access code: 23247681#.

FACTS

• An estimated 126 million children do dangerous work worldwide. (UNICEF)
  
  
• Approximately 1.2 million children are trafficked for labour or sexual exploitation at any given time, representing half of the over 2.4 million people trafficked worldwide. (International Labour Organization)
  
  
• For every trafficking victim forced into prostitution, nine others are forced into work in places like factories, sweatshops, boats, and farms. (International Labour Organization)
  
  
• Human trafficking is the third most profitable organized crime after drugs and arms trafficking. (United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime)

BACKGROUND
3D jobs can be in agricultural, fishing, mining, domestic service, manufacturing sectors - any job where a child is doing work that is likely to be hazardous, interferes with education, or is harmful to his/her physical or mental health.

Child slavery is a consequence of poverty, discrimination and powerlessness where the strong take advantage of the weak and vulnerable.  A child's lack of access to basic necessities (food, shelter, water, education), unscrupulous employers, demand for cheap goods, and poor child protection and labour laws result in millions of children experiencing abuse, permanent ill health and, in some cases, death.

Trafficking overlaps with 3D jobs because many children are trafficked into them. Child trafficking is a form of slavery - it is putting or keeping a person in an exploitative situation that they can't get out of. They are not free and can be exploited for private profit over and over again. It is a crime that violates a person's fundamental rights.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at  worldvision.ca

 

 

For further information:

MEDIA CONTACTS
Tiffany Baggetta - Tel. [phone] ext 2485, mobile [phone] [e-mail]
Britt Hamilton - Tel. [phone] ext 3973, mobile [phone] [e-mail]