Brooke backs 'Thr3e Small Steps' to end Child Trafficking

2.56.32pm GMT Tue 6th Mar 2007

Annette, alongside 'Thr3e Small Steps', hopes to end child trafficking

Local MP, Annette Brooke, has pledged to support the 'Thr3e Small Steps' to end the trafficking of children.

2007 sees the 200th year anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade, and to coincide with this ECPAT UK and World Vision have launched their 'Thr3e Small Steps Campaign' to challenge the UK Government on its failure to provide adequate care and protection for child victims of trafficking.

Annette Brooke, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families, has put her signature to a life size foot print to indicate her support for the 'Thr3e Small Steps' to end this modern form of slavery.

Annette Brooke said:

"Child victims of trafficking are first and foremost children.

"At present, children who are trafficked into the UK do not have their full rights protected. The Government should withdraw its reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child immediately. We have a duty to protect these children who have gone through so much."

World Vision's Helen Young said:

"Although the UK Government recognises that human trafficking is a major concern for the UK, trafficked children are not receiving the care and protection they deserve.

"Currently the Government seems more interested in maintaining effective immigration control, regardless of the consequences for those, including children, who fall foul of the system."

14 year old Yen* was sold by her mother to a stranger in rural Vietnam when she could no longer afford to take care of her. Yen was then trafficked to the UK. On arrival she was taken to a brothel and shown pornographic videos to groom her for a life of prostitution. Luckily she managed to escape and after being on the streets for a while was taken to a police station. Despite being in obvious distress and with clear mental health concerns, no counselling or specialist support was provided and her asylum claim was refused.

ECPAT UK's Director Christine Beddoe said:

"This is just one of countless stories of how current government policy is failing children in the UK. With no national mechanism for the identification and care of children who have been trafficked, most are simply 'processed' as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children."

There is also concern at the Government's persistent refusal to remove its Reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on Immigration and Nationality which states that the UK will not be bound by the Convention in matters concerning children under immigration control and therefore accepts no responsibility for upholding their rights.

The Thr3e Small Steps campaign is calling on the UK Government to:

Withdraw the UK reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on Immigration and Nationality in order to ensure that the right to protection of all children trafficked into the UK is guaranteed and upheld

Ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings since it stipulates the basic standards of victim protection

Appoint an independent national Child Trafficking Rapporteur responsible for annual reporting on national statistics, trends and emerging issues.

ENDS

Note to Editors

1. World Vision is a Christian charity and one of the world's leading relief and development agencies, currently helping more than 100 million people in nearly 100 countries in their struggle against poverty, hunger and injustice, irrespective of their religious beliefs.

2. ECPAT UK stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes. ECPAT UK represents a coalition of nine leading UK organisations working for the protection of children's rights. These are: Anti-Slavery International, Barnardo's, Jubilee Campaign, NSPCC, Save the Children UK, The Body Shop Foundation, The Children's Society, UNICEF UK, and World Vision UK.