Human Trafficking: Situation of Children in Haiti Lourdes Edith Joseph CNEH Denver, June 30, 2014

Plan 1. Situation of Children in Haiti (EFA, Homeless, etc.) 2. Trafficking in Restav è k (Haitian Creole word meaning children in domestic servitude) and other issues related to children– prostitution, forced labor, etc) 3. Actions Taken by CNEH to Draw Attention on These Issues

Introduction The latest statistics indicate that 500,000 children from 6 through 12 are excluded from the education system According to Haitian law, education is a state responsibility. In fact, 25% of schools are public. In Haiti, many children are exposed to hunger, drug abuse, the worst forms of child labor such as domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, trafficking in human beings.

The Situation of Children in Haiti (EFA, homeless, etc.). The children in domestic servitude or restav è k represent a number of 173,000 according to a census led in 2002 by the Ministry of Social Affairs Girls: 59% Boys: 41% Age range: 5 to17 years old Sources : Ministry of Social Affairs

The Restavèk They are children from disadvantaged rural areas entrusted most of the time to relatives or to acquaintances with the promise to benefit from education. These children do all the domestic work with no time for education and leisure. These children may be sexually exploited. Some leave the host family and are found in the streets among the homeless.

Street Children They are a very vulnerable group visible in Haiti Population: 2,000 Boys: 74.7% Age Range: 6 to 18 years old Homeless: 26.4% Girls: 25.3% Sources: Save The Children Haiti

Street Children There are two categories : 1 - Those who have a home and go out to the streets to work. They do odd jobs such as: car wash, wipe car windows, handling 2 –Those who do not have a set home They are among the children in conflict with the law.

Children with Disabilities Population Before the earthquake After the earthquake 120,000 1,200,000 Percentage of children attending school 3.5% 0.14 % Sources: Pan-American Observatory for Disabled, Haiti

Children in conflict with the law Prison population : 200 Boys: 131 Girls: 69 94% of them are not judged The girls are not separated from adults in the women's prison in Pétion-Ville. The boys are overcrowding the prison. Sources: UNICEF

Human Trafficking This activity is carried out through nurseries and orphanages through adoptions Thousands of these institutions operate illegally This phenomenon has grown extensively after the earthquake. A network of pimps recruit young people under the guise of modeling.

Human Trafficking (end) Haitian Dominican border is known for this trafficking. Children cross the border to practice begging and prostitution or work in the fields with their parents in the Dominican Republic

Actions Taken by CNEH Teachers have shown some indifference to problems of vulnerable children. CNEH did not know how to approach this subject because teachers are among the categories of people who have children in domestic servitude home. Reflections started from the information provided by the Education International on the occasion of the World Day against Child Labor.

Actions (Continued) 1 - Participation of CNEH in the conference on child labor in Berlin in October 2012 This conference was an opportunity to share the experiences of other members of the EI unions in the struggle for the elimination of child labor 2 – Organization in Port-au-Prince of a workshop on child labor with the help of EI and IPEC in January 2013 This workshop was attended by leader (s) of thirty teachers' associations affiliated to CNEH

Actions (End) 3 – CNEH participated in the international conference on child labor in Brazil in October 2013 A workshop on the manual of EI to the unions has helped better understand the issue and have tools to make civil society aware of it. CNEH began a national campaign for quality public education for all since November 2011.