Child trafficking highlighted on global day of awareness

McALLEN, Texas ( Border Report ) — Awareness over the dangers of human trafficking, especially for children, is being raised on this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

The United Nations has declared that Tuesday’s global day of awareness will focus on eradicating the trafficking of children worldwide.

“Human trafficking leaves deep scars and when the victims are children, those scars can come to define the rest of their lives,” U.N. Director-General and Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly, posted in a video Tuesday on X.

Waly says child victims have tripled over the past 15 years, with children accounting for more than one-third of victims globally.

An estimated 1.2 million children each year are victims of human trafficking, the United Nations says.

“Once trafficked, they endure horrific abuse,” she said.

Children are subjected to various forms of trafficking, including forced labor, crime, begging, illegal adoption, sexual abuse and the online dissemination of abusive images, and some are also recruited into armed groups, the United Nations said on its website.

Unaccompanied minors who come to the U.S. border are at increasing risk of being preyed upon by human traffickers, the agency says.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) , which assists victims, says minors are twice as likely as adults to endure violence during trafficking.

“ADRA is highly aware of the crucial nature of this crisis, particularly child trafficking, as minors account for a sizable proportion of global victims,” said Imad Madanat, ADRA International Vice President for Humanitarian Affairs. “ADRA will continue raising awareness, advocating, and promoting action globally to educate and engage communities to protect children and adults from falling victim to trafficking.”

The nonprofit organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported Monday that it is increasing its staffing in Guatemala after hearing reports over the past two years of increasing harm coming to migrants who are crossing through that Central American country, including children.

More than 100,000 people on the move traveled through Guatemala from April to September 2023, according to the International Organization for Migration, which is part of the United Nations.

“This is a crisis that requires a global response. MSF calls on governments and authorities in transit countries like Guatemala to put in place mechanisms to end violence and abuse against migrants along migration routes, as well as to guarantee their protection—particularly for children and women, who make up a large portion of people on the move. Ensuring humanitarian assistance to all migrants is a duty,” Doctors Without Border said.

This is the 10th year this day has been observed globally.

The agency is encouraging the public to share messages on social media with #EndHumanTrafficking.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.

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