Human trafficking, child prostitution, sexual abuse and exploitation of children are serious crimes, which unfortunately occur on a large scale in Southeast Asia as well as in the other parts of the world.
Besides poverty, other causes include consumerism, broken families, lack of employment, no access to education and the wish to migrate.
Through a holistic approach - which encompasses prevention, services for victims, legal aid and advocacy for law enforcement - Terre des Hommes Netherlands, in close collaboration with a wide network of local NGOs, combats this serious abuse of children.
Terre des Hommes is a children's rights organization based in The Hague and a member of the International Federation Terre des Hommes in Geneva, Switzerland.
Terre des Hommes or Earth of Humanity was founded in 1965 with the objective of helping children in distress all over the world regardless of race, faith, cultural or political orientation.
In four countries in Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, Terre des Hommes Netherlands has established network organizations comprising over 100 local NGOs as members.
These country networks are united by an umbrella organization called Asia ACT (Anti-Child Trafficking).
For the network, Dec. 12 is a special day in this region as it is marked as the commemoration day against human trafficking. It marks the adoption of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which supplements the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime signed in Palermo, Italy.
Dec. 12 this year is the celebration of 20 years of UN Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC), hence it is very important to check what has done to protect the rights of children, in this case for child victims of trafficking. This year's theme of the campaign is "Child Protection is Everybody's Obligation, Stop Child Trafficking".
Over the years, the network has been working in this area with partner organizations, and it has learned that meeting the immediate needs of victims does not solve the problem.
Therefore, in past years the network has been working using a more sustainable approach, engaging prime stakeholders in providing continuous support for children.
Under the umbrella of child protection, there are three main sub issues that are the focus of Terre des Hommes Netherlands, namely child trafficking, child workers and children in prostitution.
Child protection is becoming an important issue, and it is vital to protect rather than to fix the damage of any form of exploitation of children. Supporting the establishment of strong protection for children, Terre des Hommes is designing its approach to build strong community education, general public awareness, legislation and law enforcement, and listening to the voices of children.
The Dec. 12 campaign is only one form of promotion that can increase awareness among the general public.
Just like Terre des Hommes' overall objective, we all want all children (a person under the age of 18 years old) to be free from violence and exploitation, to be protected, to be educated, to be cared for, to have their rights assured and to live in circumstances in which they can enjoy their childhood and develop themselves.
- I. Christianto
