Child Labor

In order to bring attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth around the world, the United Nations has created International Youth Day

International Youth Day (IYD) is an youth awareness day. It is the brainchild of the United Nations, and was first celebrated on 12th August 2000, after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution. The day is also observed in 18 countries on many different dates throughout the year. The UN defines the worlds' youth as the age group between 15 and 24 years old, making up one-sixth of the human population. It is celebrated all around the world with an objective to raise awareness about issues to recognize the efforts of the world's youth in enhancing global society. It also aims to promote ways to engage them in responsible and active ways so that they can make positive contributions to their communities.

Permalink | Comments

Haitian children trafficked for sex and labor to the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas. The majority of trafficking cases are found among the estimated 90,000 to 300,000 restaveks in Haiti, and the 3,000 additional restaveks who are trafficked to the Dominican Republic.

Haiti for being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere is a primary source for human trafficking. It is a country where 80% of the populations live below the poverty line and 54% are in abject poverty. A large number of Haitian children are regularly trafficked for sex and labor to the neighboring Caribbean countries, mostly to the next door neighbor Dominican Republic. Child domestic workers ("restavec" in Creole) are perhaps amongst the most exploited sectors in Haiti of whom 65% are girls between the ages of 6 and 14. Most of Haiti's trafficking cases are restaveks. In a UNICEF report following the 2010 earthquake, it was found that homeless children, children separated from families and many children picked up from the hospitals were shipped outside the country for money. Some of the trafficking agencies work in the disguise of child adoption organizations. The Government of Haiti employs very minimum efforts and made limited progress in anti-trafficking activities, neither it provides any direct or specialized service to the trafficking victims.

Permalink | Comments

I hope you never have to deal with something like this; however, this is something that many restavek in Haiti ha to deal with on a daily basis. Getting water in a fountain in Haiti while many others are after the same thing.

Let me tell you, getting water from a fountain in Haiti is worst than being involved in a boxing match. Everyone is fighting to get ahead not because they do not know any thing about order. They usually get involved in the fight because no one is certain as to how long the water will be flowing. It becomes a real struggle to be first. in addition, due to fight, most of the water is wasted.

Now just imagine for a moment you are a restavek and "madame is waiting for the water

The struggle to get water in a water fountain in Haiti

Permalink | Comments

A leading researcher in the field of child development found that playing is very important in child development. It is the leading reason why very young children can learn so much so quickly. The study also found that the children allowed to play become better thinkers and are better equipped to think about different possibilities to solve issues.

Now imagine having an entire class of children in a society such a Haiti called Restavek who are usually unable to not only play due to their daily living condition but also go to school and are put down on a regular basis.

This can only be labeled as the self-destruction of a society

Permalink | Comments

Have you ever felt like you are less than another person? You shouldn't have dream, you should not be doing what most people of your age are doing?

Most professional in the psychiatric field would describe this as developing a low self-esteem, feeling of insecurity and inferiority.

In Haiti, this is the case for many children who are or have been working as Restavek in many Haitian homes.

The greatest love we all seek is within us and its us. We need to love ourselves.

How do you think we as a society is doing in this area: Love, inferiority complex, self-esteem, and restavek

Permalink | Comments

Here is the picture of a Haitian child showing his abusive marks received in the hands of a Haitian family while working as a restavek. This is a common practice for Haitian children to both be working as restavek and also to be abused by the family they are working for on a regular basis. The abuses do not come usually from the hands of the adults in the homes but also children, family members as well as friends of the family who might come for visit

Permalink | Comments