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Say 'no' to child sex, UNICEF tells South Asian men
September 29, 2004
Better enforcement against child traffickers and more cross border cooperation
by Governments in South Asia is being called for by the UN Children's Fund,
UNICEF.
At the start of a meeting to review efforts to stop the commercial sexual
exploitation of children in South Asia, the agency's Regional Director Dr.
Sadig Rasheed said, "there should be no hiding place for those selling and
trading children for sex."
Dr. Rasheed added: "It seems that more and more women and children are leaving
countries like Nepal and Bangladesh and many are ending up being abused in a
highly lucrative sex trade. While governments and law enforcement agencies must
do whatever they can to protect children, a lot of problems could be stopped
tomorrow if men in South Asia said 'no' to child sex'."
The three day meeting in Colombo is set to review progress since the Yokohama
Global Commitment of 2001, which called for greater efforts globally to protect
children. Representatives from eight South Asian governments along with
children from the region and officials from 11 UN and non governmental agencies
will be attending the event, to be addressed by President Chandrika
Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Because of links with organised crime it is extremely difficult to get reliable
figures on trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children. But it
is estimated that from Bangladesh about 300,000 women and children have been
trafficked to India and 200,000 to Pakistan. In addition between 100,000 and
200,000 Nepal women and girls are said to be working in India's sex industry.
While not all those trafficked will be employed as prostitutes, a considerable
proportion will have become involved in such exploitation.
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9-7-2004
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