Trafficking in Children: Trafficking in Children: China and Asian China and Asian

PerspectivePerspective

Xin Ren, Ph.D.Xin Ren, Ph.D.Criminal Justice DivisionCriminal Justice DivisionCalifornia State University, SacramentoCalifornia State University, Sacramentorenx@csus.edurenx@csus.edu

Trafficking in ChildrenTrafficking in Children

International legal instrumentsInternational legal instruments– CRC Articles 1, 11, 21, and 32-36CRC Articles 1, 11, 21, and 32-36– UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish

Trafficking in PersonsTrafficking in Persons, Article 3(a) , Article 3(a) – Hague Conventions onHague Conventions on

Inter-country adoptionInter-country adoption The civil aspect of children abductionThe civil aspect of children abduction Parental responsibilities and protection of childrenParental responsibilities and protection of children

– ILO Convention No. 182ILO Convention No. 182 Eliminating worst forms of child laborEliminating worst forms of child labor

– WTO’s WTO’s Global Code of Conduct for Tourism 1999Global Code of Conduct for Tourism 1999

Purpose of Trafficking in Purpose of Trafficking in ChildrenChildren

Illegal child adoptionIllegal child adoption Illegal border crossing for family Illegal border crossing for family

reunification reunification Bridal tradeBridal trade Forced prostitutionForced prostitution Child labor exploitationChild labor exploitation Forcible organ removalForcible organ removal

Trafficking in Children in Trafficking in Children in AsiaAsia

800,000 to 900,000 men, women, 800,000 to 900,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across and children are trafficked across international borders worldwide into international borders worldwide into forced marriage, prostitution, and forced marriage, prostitution, and slavery labor slavery labor

225,000 victims or ¼ victims of 225,000 victims or ¼ victims of world wide are trafficked annually world wide are trafficked annually from the Southwest and Southeast from the Southwest and Southeast Asia Asia

Trafficking in ChildrenTrafficking in Children

Between 200,000 to 500,000 Chinese Between 200,000 to 500,000 Chinese girls and children have been trafficked girls and children have been trafficked into or through Thailand in the past 10 into or through Thailand in the past 10 yearsyears

Thailand alone has some 200,000 sex Thailand alone has some 200,000 sex workers workers

Every year an estimated 5,000 to Every year an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 Nepali girls are trafficked to the 7,000 Nepali girls are trafficked to the red light districts of Indian citiesred light districts of Indian cities

Trafficking in ChildrenTrafficking in Children

One third of 55,000 prostitutes in One third of 55,000 prostitutes in Cambodia are Vietnamese boys and Cambodia are Vietnamese boys and girls under age of 18 girls under age of 18

200,000 Bangladeshi woman were 200,000 Bangladeshi woman were trafficked to Pakistan in the last ten trafficked to Pakistan in the last ten years working as prostitutes years working as prostitutes

Some 20,000 to 30,000 Burmese girls Some 20,000 to 30,000 Burmese girls are estimated to work in Bangkok as are estimated to work in Bangkok as prostitutesprostitutes

Characteristics of Trafficked Characteristics of Trafficked Child Victims in ChinaChild Victims in China

From 1980-2000, a total of 10,768 children were From 1980-2000, a total of 10,768 children were abducted and trafficked domestically in Chinaabducted and trafficked domestically in China

Of them, 66.4% are boys and 33.6% are girlsOf them, 66.4% are boys and 33.6% are girls Price ranges from 10,000-20,000 yuan ($1,250-$2,500) Price ranges from 10,000-20,000 yuan ($1,250-$2,500)

for a boy to 500-800 yuan ($60-$100) for a girlfor a boy to 500-800 yuan ($60-$100) for a girl Abduction premisesAbduction premises

– 36% abducted from private homes36% abducted from private homes– 21% abducted from public place21% abducted from public place– 6% from school premises6% from school premises

Recruiting regions and direction of trafficking flow:Recruiting regions and direction of trafficking flow:– 42% of children were recruited from three provinces: Sichuan, 42% of children were recruited from three provinces: Sichuan,

Guizhou, and ShanxiGuizhou, and Shanxi– Children were trafficked from the southwest inland provinces Children were trafficked from the southwest inland provinces

onward to east and coastal regions onward to east and coastal regions

Age of Child VictimsAge of Child Victims

Age Age groupgroup

Total Total PopulatioPopulationn

BoysBoys GirlsGirls

1 day-7 1 day-7 years oldyears old

69%69% 78%78% 36%36%

8-14 8-14 years oldyears old

31%31% 22%22% 64%64%

TotalTotal 100%100% 100%100% 100%100%

Means of RecruitmentMeans of Recruitment

Sold by ParentsSold by Parents 50%50%

False False Pretense/deceptionPretense/deception

27%27%

Stealing/abductionStealing/abduction 11.3%11.3%

Robbery/Arson/Robbery/Arson/MurderMurder

2.3%2.3%

UnknownUnknown 9.4%9.4%

TraffickersTraffickers

51% under age of 2551% under age of 25 Women traffickersWomen traffickers

– 1990: 10.3%1990: 10.3%– 1991: 11.8%1991: 11.8%– 1992: 13.9%1992: 13.9%– 2000: 20%2000: 20%

75-89% cases involved more than 75-89% cases involved more than three traffickersthree traffickers

Causes Causes

The stronghold of traditional patriarchal The stronghold of traditional patriarchal valuevalue

Poverty in rural and mountainous regionsPoverty in rural and mountainous regions Widening gap between the poor and the richWidening gap between the poor and the rich Lack of economic opportunity for women in Lack of economic opportunity for women in

rural areasrural areas Gender discrimination in rural economyGender discrimination in rural economy Enforcement of birth control policyEnforcement of birth control policy Economic openness and booming tourist Economic openness and booming tourist

industryindustry

Regional Co-operationRegional Co-operation

The Inter-government Summit of Association of Southeast The Inter-government Summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN- Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Asian Nations (ASEAN- Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) Thailand, and Vietnam)

ASEAN Tourism Agreement and the ASEAN Plan of Action to ASEAN Tourism Agreement and the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Organized Crime of Kuala Lumpur in Combat Transnational Organized Crime of Kuala Lumpur in 2002 2002

ASEAN Subcommittee on Women in 1999 and the 6th ASEAN Subcommittee on Women in 1999 and the 6th Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Immigration Departments and Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Immigration Departments and Ministries of Foreign Affairs in 2002 Ministries of Foreign Affairs in 2002

A Joint Declaration of ASEAN and China on Cooperation in A Joint Declaration of ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Non-Traditional Security Issues identified the Field of Non-Traditional Security Issues identified combating trafficking in women and children as one of the six combating trafficking in women and children as one of the six prioritized tasks that require inter-regional governmental prioritized tasks that require inter-regional governmental cooperationcooperation. .

Anti-Trafficking Anti-Trafficking PracticePractice Mekong Subregional ProjectMekong Subregional Project

– TICW works in education, skill training, TICW works in education, skill training, employment creation, alternative employment creation, alternative livelihood and legal literacylivelihood and legal literacy

China: In collaboration with UNICEF China: In collaboration with UNICEF to combat trafficking in women and to combat trafficking in women and children.children.

Cambodia: Anti-Pedophilia ProgramCambodia: Anti-Pedophilia Program

Legal Obstacles in Legal Obstacles in

Assisting Victims of TraffickingAssisting Victims of Trafficking Identification of rescued victims Identification of rescued victims and and

repatriationrepatriation Status offense for victims of Status offense for victims of

traffickingtrafficking Legality v. humanity in rescuing victims Legality v. humanity in rescuing victims Children without country and citizenshipChildren without country and citizenship Trafficking in children and immigration Trafficking in children and immigration

policypolicy Prevention v. intervention Prevention v. intervention

Public Education Public Education Campaign in HenanCampaign in Henan

Victim Speaks up at Victim Speaks up at Public Rally Against Public Rally Against

TraffickingTrafficking

Assembled Victims for Assembled Victims for Repatriation in HenanRepatriation in Henan

Rescued Victims in Rescued Victims in HenanHenan

Rescued Victims in Rescued Victims in ShanxiShanxi

Victims RepatriationVictims Repatriation

Rescued Children Rescued Children under the Police Careunder the Police Care