Child Exploitation

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Most people have no idea how large the problem truly is.

SPORT

AFRICA: Widespread child exploitation extends to sport NAIROBI, 16 April (IRIN) - One of
the latest examples of the violation of child rights in Africa is the exploitation of promising
young athletes, a UN special rapporteur has revealed. Head-hunters have been scouting
developing countries, especially in Africa, in search of potential stars - offering their
guardians money and then bringing them abroad, especially to northern Europe. "The
problem arises when no [football] team will take the boy, who is then usually abandoned
and left to fend for himself", Ofelia Calceta-Santos, UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography, said. "Reports from all over the world
reveal strategies and ruses by marketers of children to effect the trading of children", she
added. Calceta-Santos was addressing a special dialogue of the UN Commission on
Human Rights on the rights of the child on Thursday, at which representatives of countries,
agencies and NGOs spoke of the need to combat the exploitation of children. "The
marginalisation of children comes in every possible dimension", Stephen Lewis, Deputy
Director of UNICEF reported. He said they suffered death through preventable disease,
labour and sexual exploitation, violence and HIV/AIDS. There have also been millions of
child victims of contemporary civil conflicts such as those witnessed in Somalia, Sudan and
Rwanda, Lewis added. Discussions identified a clear link between children's rights and
those of women. "Women are the main protectors of the human rights of children, and this
ought to be properly recognised", a UNHCR report of the proceedings stated. Delegates
said children needed to be heard and the Commission should provide a voice for them,
preferably after interaction with children.