Commissioner works on child trafficking
Child trafficking is the movement of children across country borders in order to exploit them.
Sometimes children are forced to work or become involved in criminal activities, and sometimes they are forced into sexual exploitation by adults. This is totally against their rights (Article 35). UNICEF describe child trafficking as a form of modern slavery and campaign for it to end.
Child trafficking is not something that happens in other countries or in faraway places. It happens all over the UK, including in Scotland. The Commissioner thinks it is extremely important that we find out more about the child trafficking that goes on in Scotland. Either children being moved into the country, or being moved around the country. Finding out the extent of the problem will help everyone work on how we can make this stop.
The Commissioner’s office has therefore asked a team from the Centre for Rural Childhood to do some research into this subject. The research will be published in December 2010 and the Commissioner will use this research to influence change.
Children deserve to grow free from exploitation and abuse. It’s their right.