Romania’s Forgotten Children Trafficking, Abuse, Neglect & Abandonment 1989 - 2009

There are approximately the same number of institutionalized Romanian children in 2009 as there were in 1989 So what has gone wrong? What are we doing about it? What can we do about it?

1989 http:// uk . youtube .com/watch?v=SbCyH3Y6Tm4

2009 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FWKQNMZa--Y

Source: UNICEF There are 4.770.000 children in Romania 21.847 children are in state institutions 4.752 children are in NGO institutions 47.194 children are in substitute families

The cultural belief in Romania has been that the state will look after Children. Children have been abandoned for this and other reasons Parents have abandoned children to look for work abroad Children remain in institutions for years on end. Some are adopted or fostered Children encounter further risks when they leave institutions many turn to begging, stealing and prostitution Many are exploited by the traffickers. Some end up in the UK

I Want To Buy A Child http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DGxNW1I6NcA

Source: Save The Children A phenomenon of transnational criminality, which involves the most complex forms of organized crime, trafficking in human beings makes over 300,000 victims every year only in Europe. Being defined as modern slavery, trafficking in human beings for sexual or economical exploitation or for organ trade represents a serious menace for the respect of human rights.

So who are these terrible people? Who buys children for sex? Who Demands to see terrible abuse online?

IWF suggests that 1.5 million adults have viewed child abuse online One in twenty of the abused are under two years of age 18% of child abuse websites were traced to the U.K. Trafficking of children for sex is feeding a demand in Europe including the UK

What Can Be Done? Organisations counter the trafficking using the Internet NGO’s establish Childline Romania Reuters reports the Government adopts new computer system to tackle child pornography in Romania NGO opens a centre to deal with missing or exploited children

http:// uk . youtube .com/watch?v=iDJ9h_o1mWc

So How Are We Doing Here In The U.K.?

We have the highest child homicide rate in Europe!

Two children under 15 die from abuse each week in the U.K Source: UNICEF, Innocenti report

The Innocenti report made a connection between child abuse and a broader spectrum of violence against children It argues that any serious attempt at tackling abuse means promotion of a culture of non-violence towards children It argues for the eradication of hitting children for the purposes of punishment or discipline

In 1973 Maria Colwell was starved and beaten to death. She was seven years of age. Maria became a landmark in social care leading to major changes in child protection. Thirty years later Victoria Climbie became another landmark in social care. She had been starved, tortured and beaten to death. Baby P was the most recent case which has led to further changes in child protection. As hard as it is to imagine that someone could do this, it happens on a daily basis throughout the U.K.

We continue to see cases of abuse and neglect in Romania. It falls to organization and NGO’s like UNICEF, UNESCO and Save The Children to intervene. Incidents of child abuse in the U.K. are also reported to be rising. The UK has established the General Social Care Council and the Social Care Institute for Excellence. It’s aims are to promote higher standards of practice.

The EU report on children’s rights suggest that some of the key challenges identified are Violence suffered by children within the family, in the community, in residential care and in other settings Many children continue to be placed in institutions across the EU. Alternatives such as fostering and adoption remain inadequately resourced. Trafficking of children into and between EU states to be exploited for sexual and other purposes. Frequent violation of the rights of children who seek asylum Discrimination often on multiple grounds, suffered by some groups of children such as Roma or disabled children Child poverty and social exclusion, which has increased significantly in some EU countries during the past twenty years, with younger children facing a higher risk of relative poverty than any other group Developing children’s participation

The EU report on children’s rights suggest that some of the key challenges identified are

Violence suffered by children within the family, in the community, in residential care and in other settings

Many children continue to be placed in institutions across the EU. Alternatives such as fostering and adoption remain inadequately resourced.

Trafficking of children into and between EU states to be exploited for sexual and other purposes.

Frequent violation of the rights of children who seek asylum

Discrimination often on multiple grounds, suffered by some groups of children such as Roma or disabled children

Child poverty and social exclusion, which has increased significantly in some EU countries during the past twenty years, with younger children facing a higher risk of relative poverty than any other group

Developing children’s participation

A report in the Lancet suggests up to 1 million children a year in the U.K. suffer because their neglect and abuse goes unreported by professionals. A key finding in the Baby P report was that there was a lack of communication and sharing of suspicions by professionals

The lancet editor, Dr Richard Horton argues that the series of papers following the high profile incidents such as Baby P will not halt the blight of child abuse. He suggest that the phenomenon is too common, too deeply rooted in deprivation and other social ills.

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