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21 January 2009

UN SPOTLIGHT ON TANZANIA BUT “THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE STILL TRAPPED IN SLAVERY” 

A recent UN Committee on the Rights of the Child report says Tanzania remains a source and transit point for children trafficked to South Africa, Europe and the Middle East to engage in forced labour and sexual exploitation.

"There is also visible mobility of children around and within the country, with children being internally trafficked from rural to urban areas to work as domestic servants in nightclubs and bars" the report states.

The findings are contained in the report by that was issued in Geneva following the 49th session of the Committee which examines member country profiles on implementation of protocols on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Tanzania was one of the group of countries under review in this most recent session.

For further information about a campaign to ensure the welfare and protection of rights of children in Tanzania visit the Caucus for Children's Rights website.

However trafficked children in Tanzania represent only a tiny fraction of those caught up in this global problem.

Thirty million people are still trapped in slavery around the world today, according to Steve Chalke, founder of Stop the Traffick while visiting Melbourne recently.

"Trafficking operates everywhere. It is here in Melbourne, it is across Australia and every country in the world," he said. "The slave trade has not ended. It is a far bigger problem than it ever was 200 years ago."

He went on to point out that whilst 80 per cent of modern slavery involved women and children in prostitution, forced labour was also used by clothing and food manufacturers, particularly chocolate makers where the cocoa industry in Ghana and the Ivory Coast which supplied 70 per cent of the world's cocoa, still used slave and child labour.

For further up to date information about global trafficking, especially in relation to Australia, visit the Good Shepherd Tafficking in Persons Clearinghouse website.

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