The Way I See It - Be Thankful
The Way I See It - Be Thankful
I recently heard Nicholas Kristof speak on the oppression of women and girls around the world. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have just published a brilliant book, “Half the Sky,” Alfr
I recently heard Nicholas Kristof speak on the oppression of women and girls around the world. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have just published a brilliant book, “Half the Sky," Alfred A. Knopf publisher, 2009. They relate horrific and compassionate stories about the kinds of slavery (aka “trafficking”) that tens of millions around the world are subjected to today. They also pinpoint the lack of attention and action given to the issue in both the private and government sectors globally.
According to the most recent U.S. State Department Report on Trafficking in Persons (2008), the United Nations “estimates that there are 12.3 million people in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude at any given time; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million.” Other research cited in the report gives the number of persons transported across national borders at 800,000 (2006). “Approximately 80 percent of transnational victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors. The majority of transnational victims are females trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. These numbers do not include millions of female and male victims around the world who are trafficked within their own national borders—the majority for forced or bonded labor.”
The inherent problem is that trafficking is very lucrative. The International Labor Organization places the profits from sex trafficking alone at $218 billion a year. Families, such as those in Cambodia, may subsist on less than $1 per day per person, which places tremendous pressure on some families to sell their daughters. Not all do of course, but until recent years, Cambodia had one of the largest sex-tourism trades in the world. In other situations, families and the victims themselves have been deceived into thinking their children were going to be working in legitimate businesses, only to find they have been sold into slavery.
Many countries don’t have adequate laws or control to fight slavery. In numerous cases, the authorities are corrupt and part of the problem. The U.S. lists only 29 countries that comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act. The Act defines criteria for whether countries are taking sufficient action to eliminate human trafficking. Another 70 countries don’t meet the minimum standards, but are improving. The remaining 55 countries are either doing nothing or are in danger of moving backward. So if you thought slavery had ended, it hasn’t. It is widespread. The countries with no effort to comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act are : ALGERIA, BURMA,CUBA, FIJI, IRAN, KUWAIT, MOLDOVA, NORTH KOREA, OMAN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, SUDAN, and SYRIA.
Kristof and WuDunn call us to action. Some good news is that some countries are increasingly arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators. But pressure needs to be kept on those countries (as well as our own) in that regard. Although necessary, legal pursuit after a crime often seems to push the problem around but never get rid of it. Some alternative and supplemental approaches are needed. These approaches include improving education and providing micro-financing. Reportedly, these methods seem to work well in a number of countries. I’m familiar with providing schools in Cambodia. There, the average male receives about 2.7 years of education. The average female receives 1.7 years. Non-governmental organizations such as Bernie Krisher’s American Assistance for Cambodia works with the Cambodian government and definitely helps. Donors working through AAfC have built over 500 schools in Cambodia since 1999. The effect is to “raise the value” of the person, especially girls, in the eyes of the family and community. This makes it less likely the girls will be sold. Greg Mortenson’s efforts to build schools in Pakistan are another example (see his book, “Three Cups of Tea.”) Krisher’s organization will also give families a $10/month stipend if their daughters achieve perfect attendance in school. The benefits are amazing.
Success doesn’t necessarily come easily to these efforts. The challenges require persistence, kindness and grace. Kristof and WuDunn quote a Hawaiian parable from Naka Nathaniel, a New York Times videographer that is apt:
Perhaps Kristof and WuDunn have identified a gift worth giving. I think so. Be thankful for their voices.
According to the most recent U.S. State Department Report on Trafficking in Persons (2008), the United Nations “estimates that there are 12.3 million people in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude at any given time; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million.” Other research cited in the report gives the number of persons transported across national borders at 800,000 (2006). “Approximately 80 percent of transnational victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors. The majority of transnational victims are females trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. These numbers do not include millions of female and male victims around the world who are trafficked within their own national borders—the majority for forced or bonded labor.”
The inherent problem is that trafficking is very lucrative. The International Labor Organization places the profits from sex trafficking alone at $218 billion a year. Families, such as those in Cambodia, may subsist on less than $1 per day per person, which places tremendous pressure on some families to sell their daughters. Not all do of course, but until recent years, Cambodia had one of the largest sex-tourism trades in the world. In other situations, families and the victims themselves have been deceived into thinking their children were going to be working in legitimate businesses, only to find they have been sold into slavery.
Many countries don’t have adequate laws or control to fight slavery. In numerous cases, the authorities are corrupt and part of the problem. The U.S. lists only 29 countries that comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act. The Act defines criteria for whether countries are taking sufficient action to eliminate human trafficking. Another 70 countries don’t meet the minimum standards, but are improving. The remaining 55 countries are either doing nothing or are in danger of moving backward. So if you thought slavery had ended, it hasn’t. It is widespread. The countries with no effort to comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act are : ALGERIA, BURMA,CUBA, FIJI, IRAN, KUWAIT, MOLDOVA, NORTH KOREA, OMAN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, SUDAN, and SYRIA.
Kristof and WuDunn call us to action. Some good news is that some countries are increasingly arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators. But pressure needs to be kept on those countries (as well as our own) in that regard. Although necessary, legal pursuit after a crime often seems to push the problem around but never get rid of it. Some alternative and supplemental approaches are needed. These approaches include improving education and providing micro-financing. Reportedly, these methods seem to work well in a number of countries. I’m familiar with providing schools in Cambodia. There, the average male receives about 2.7 years of education. The average female receives 1.7 years. Non-governmental organizations such as Bernie Krisher’s American Assistance for Cambodia works with the Cambodian government and definitely helps. Donors working through AAfC have built over 500 schools in Cambodia since 1999. The effect is to “raise the value” of the person, especially girls, in the eyes of the family and community. This makes it less likely the girls will be sold. Greg Mortenson’s efforts to build schools in Pakistan are another example (see his book, “Three Cups of Tea.”) Krisher’s organization will also give families a $10/month stipend if their daughters achieve perfect attendance in school. The benefits are amazing.
Success doesn’t necessarily come easily to these efforts. The challenges require persistence, kindness and grace. Kristof and WuDunn quote a Hawaiian parable from Naka Nathaniel, a New York Times videographer that is apt:
‘A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back in to the water. “What are you doing, son?” the man asks. “You see how many starfish there are? You’ll never make a difference.” The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw in into the ocean. “It sure made a difference to that one,” he said.’
Perhaps Kristof and WuDunn have identified a gift worth giving. I think so. Be thankful for their voices.
