Stolen Childhood

AIDS is a disease without boundaries and the speed with which it has engulfed every part of the world proves it. Last year an estimated 2.7 million people were infected in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Worldwide the figure is about four million. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, Zimbabwe has the maximum number of children suffering from AIDS, the ratio is so alarming that one in every four children have lost at least one parent to the disease. The deadly disease has put the nation’s future in jeopardy taking life of more than 3,000 people per week and is responsible for 70 percent of hospital admissions. According to the data: 1. In 2004, the disease has orphaned more than 800,000 children. 2. In 2005, the figures escalated to 1,100,000. 3. HIV-related illnesses kill 3000 Zimbabweans every week and 72 babies become HIV-positive every day because of a lack of programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the virus. 4. A decline in school enrollment is one of the most visible effects of the epidemic. According to the World Bank, the number of primary school pupils in 2010 will shrink by 24% in Zimbabwe. 5. 4146 cases of sexual abuse against children have been reported. Reasons: 1. Melting down of the economy 2. Mass migration 3. Transmission of virus from infected mother to child 4. Orthodox traditions and customs like the ‘virgin myth’ 5. Early and forced marriages 6. Child Pornography 7. Criminal Networks and Trafficking Prevailing situations: UNICEF has managed to help around 40,000 children get back to school but with an estimated one in five children becoming orphaned by 2010, much more work needs to be done. The scale of the orphan crisis is somewhat enveloped by the time lag between when parents become infected and when they die. If, as expected, the number of adults dying from AIDS rises over the next decade, an increasing number of orphans will grow up without parental care and love. Many orphans in the area drop out of primary school before graduating, making them vulnerable to child labor and prostitution. Many deaths go unreported in a nation where infection still carries a stigma and antiretroviral treatment is either unavailable or unaffordable to most of the 20% of the population estimated to be infected. The government’s approach to the public health catastrophe is characterized by hypocrisy, indifference and denial. The medical system had collapsed, with equipment broken and shortages of doctors, nurses and drugs. The economic reforms, which have been introduced in order to combat the epidemic, have been diluted by inflation. According to the Human Rights Watch report, international donors have significantly reduced direct assistance to Zimbabwe since 2000 due to President Mugabe’s appalling human rights record and failed economic policies. Bottom line: I think instead of putting huge capital for disseminating awareness about the disease, the best possible way would be to diagnose the people of a particular region. The shyness and fear that grips the diseased is playing more havoc and need to be addressed more deftly and shattered before moving ahead. In addition, the financial status of the victim hinders his way out of it. By voluntarily going amongst those and diagnosing, the people would definitely combat the fatal disease to some extent. Then, I guess, the awareness program would actually meet the required success. And all this is not possible without government’s support. Image: Gettyimages Read

With the help of a stings operation in three years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US, officials have detained more then 9000 sex offenders including pedophiles, human traffickers and international sex tourists. However, some experts are of the view that efforts are not sufficient to keep the innocent children away from the clutches of predators. According to the data, 85% of the detainees are of foreign nationalities. Moreover, the Violent Crimes Institute asserted, nearly, 240,000 illegal-immigrant sex offenders are living in the U.S., and approximately 93 sex offenders and 12 serial sex offenders cross the border illegally into the U.S. each day. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin, a researcher of violent crimes and criminal profiler who consults with FBI, state and local police, asserted that first they take illegal immigration and then start with the heinous offense. ‘There is a clear pattern of criminal escalation. From misdemeanors such as assault or DUI, to drug offenses, illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes break U.S. laws repeatedly.’ It reported that two times a child molester was banished yet he was caught with 25 pounds of marijuana and eight firearms in his possession. Another immigrant from Mexico, still other from Honduras has been deported. William Gheen, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC’s president, said, ‘ICE is attempting to target the worst of the worst illegal aliens when, in fact, we can’t just do that. We’ve got to address illegal immigration holistically. You can’t just hope the computers are going to tell you which ones to deport and which ones to not.’ One of the biggest problems to effective immigration enforcement has been cooperation between local, state and federal police. Police do not always notify immigration authorities about detainees of undocumented aliens and immigration officers are frequently too tardy to make out the aliens before they are released on bail. Image Read

Children in the 21st century have become a mere commodity especially for sale and marketing, primarily for sexual purposes. I really don’t know what this world is coming to but it does seem to be getting worse as the years go by that’s for sure. Figuratively we find: 1. Nearly, 100,000 to 3 million American kids under age 18 are involved in prostitution. 2. The average age of a child when he or she is first sexually exploited is 11. 3. As many as 40% of all forced prostitutes are juveniles. 4. Approximately, 80 to 95% of child prostitutes have a history of sexual abuse. Kids enter into this market not because of their choice but for the reason of fear. Not only are they beaten down physically but psychologically too. They become ashamed of who they are and what they are doing and feel like they can’t reiterate to the life they came from. ‘There are girls that are literally kidnapped off the street [and] thrown into a car. There are pimps who pose as model agency scouts.’ How to Protect Your Child Most importantly, discuss with your children that shouldn’t trust strangers. Developing a friendly rapport with them too, would be beneficial otherwise they, might become prey to sexual predators that are always hovering around them since, ‘they target kids who appear to be vulnerable.’ Take all runaway threats seriously. The FBI says that within 48 hours, someone looking to exploit them sexually will approach runaways. Bottom line The need of the hour for the country is to shift its focus from ‘oil addiction’ to the inner turmoil of ‘teen slavery’, which is engulfing the younger generation. Image Read

Almost half of the country’s kids are malnourished and stunted, putting it in the same league as poorer nations like Cambodia and Burkina Faso. The latest figures from India’s National Family Health Survey has highlighted that the problem of health of India’s children, as there are about 46% underweight children in the country. Comparatively, only 8 percent of children are underweight in its neighboring Asian country China. But, the report also reveals that there has been significant improvement in the number of expectant mothers who visit doctors. Nearly 51% of women made at least three visits to the doctor when they were pregnant. The figures show an increase of 44% from the last survey. Image Read

Only a few days back, the Indian government declared a ban on any form of child labor up to the age of 14 years, but many leading international child rights guardians are asking the Indian government to reconsider the ban and increase the age limit up to 18 years. According to the groups, there are many children above 14, who are forced to work as labourers. Currently there are 14 million child labourers in India and it will be practical enough to revise the ban so that the children in the ‘older age group’ are provided with some relief. Shireen Vakil Miller, from the child right watchdog Save The Children said: We welcome the government’s plans to protect the children from abuse but from the survey we have conducted, we see the need to increase the age group to save many more children inflicted with abuse. Via: REUTERS

A study conducted by the researchers at the International Study of Asthma and Allergies, states that over the past six years, all over the world, the cases of childhood allergies have rocketed high. Diseases like asthma, eczema, and hay fever are the ones that are affecting children even in the developing countries. Millions of children every year are having asthma attacks and ultimately dying. Over 56 countries are currently facing this emerging crisis. Britain, which is regarded as one among the most developed countries too is combating this deadly disease. An evaluation carried out from 2001 to 2003 reveals that nearly 20.9% are affected by asthma, 10.1% from hay fever, and 16% from eczema. Via: ALERTNET

A Growing number of children worldwide are suffering from obesity. There are many reasons that attributes to this growing problem. According to a survey conducted in Ireland, almost 70% of the children commute to schools in four wheelers or two wheelers. Some of who lives even not a mile away from the school too is driven to the school. This makes it clear that they are not taking part in any physical activity such as cycling and walking. Such inactive nature of the daily routine is leading to the increasing number of obese children. Furthermore, addiction to watching TV more than two to three hours a day is boosting the lethargic lifestyle of the child. According to the survey unless the child actively gets involved in one hour of routinely work out daily, he or she is bound to be attacked by obesity. Via: IOL

A report from the United Nations states that near about 1.2 million children are caught in trafficking every year worldwide. Over 250 children were set-free from this shady business in UK between 1999 and 2003. However, according to the UNICEF UK, this figure is just a rough idea on the child trafficking trade, the actual number of the children trafficked all over the world is more than the established figures. There are many children, who are trafficked across the borders, and many of them are brought in from the South-Eastern part of Europe and forcefully pushed into the flesh business, and some into begging as well as child labourers. According to the Children charities in UK, the government is neglecting this sensitive issue and not doing much to safeguard the life of the vulnerable kids. Via: BBC

Your child will no longer be a dumb spectator if the relationship between you and your hubby is not working out. According to a public declaration made by Harriet Harman, the Minister of Family Justice, a child can voice out their opinion regarding family matters. This step, as said by the minister will help a lot towards making the family court aware of the child’s welfare and needs. There are many cases today, for example during the custodial hearings for a child, often the child is not aware of what is going on. He or she is left alone to answer the question that keeps on haunting them repeatedly. This has made the concerned authority to work towards a strategy that is more effective and practical so that the life of the child is not at stake, he too can share his own piece of cake in the family court. This will help the judge in making a proper decision so that the child is provided with all the benefits and assurance for the future. Via: GUARDIAN

Children in Yemen are increasingly taking up the occupation of begging, as they do not have any other source of livelihood. This has resulted in the increasing number of street children. Due to the inability of the parents to pay the school fees, growing number of children are dropping out from schools. Children as young as 6 to 8-years-old are seen strolling in the streets. While some have taken up the occupation as a street vendor selling clothes to the passer-by, some are washing cars. Few are making money in restaurant and cafe jobs, while some have no other option but to beg. While the male child is busy working in line hotels, the girls are selling various eatable items such as eggs and potatoes. Many factors have led to this emerging social crisis: Family Often an unstable family atmosphere forces children to go out to the streets. In the case of a divorced mother or the death of the bread winner of the family, leads the child to device out a way to earn money for the family expenses. Unsystematic Education The absence of any vocational education is another fact that has fuelled the large number of street children. Pre-Existent Customs and cultural practices A majority of the people in the largely traditional set of Yemeni society is illiterate. Almost 55.7 % of the Yemeni populations are uneducated. This indirectly has to do with the number of school dropouts and child vagabonds. Another traditional practice of the Yemeni culture is to send the child to work at a very young age. This too adds to the number of unfortunate street kids. Via: YEMENTIMES