A land that has long been notoriously infamous for as a destination for carnal gratification, many tourists from all around the world visit Thailand not only for its beaches, but also for something more sinister: the tropical country has to offer. But it is not only tourists who do so. Many locals take advantage of the legal loopholes to engage in hiring sex workers as well. However, those who are involved in this illicit business are not limited to adults of the legal age of consent, which, according to the Thai law, is 16 years old.
In addition, other legislation taken into consideration, the legal age to engage in sexual intercourse of the nature of prostitution makes 18 years old the actual legal age of the solicitor. However, the legal prohibition is merely ostensive; punishment against what is essentially a commercialized statutory rape is rarely meted out. Under the ever leniently enforced, often malleable and inconstant law, child prostitution is allowed to thrive.
It is estimated that perhaps as many as 800,000 children under the legal age of consent for sexual intercourse (16 years old) are victims of enslavement for the purpose of coerced prostitution. Often procured to much older men against their will, these victims of pedophilia often consist of young girls trafficked from the uplands of Thailand as well as from neighboring and countries. Forced to work in the touristic cities of the coasts, the most infamous among them being Pattaya, a large number of them have been lured by the promise of other occupations involving tasks of non-venereal descriptions.
The gargantuan pedophiliac sex industry also includes many young boys between the age of 10 to 13-years old. Like their female counterparts, they are forced to engage in coital relations with mainly Western men. UNICEF puts the number of children affected by HIV/AIDS, both having been born with and contracted in Thailand at 300,000.
Not only are children who are forced into prostitution exposed to diseases and violence of unspeakable luridness, they are also deprived of their opportunity to be children and to go to school. The result of this lack of opportunity and qualification is a vicious cycle from which victims of child prostitution find difficult to disentangle themselves. Some become procurers and some continue working in the industry.
One discernible reason for the persistence of child prostitution, at least among those victims who have been obtained domestically, may be the value of filial duty embedded within the culture. This may have made some rural parents to, by indiscretion, believe children should be able to “put bread on the table.” Thus, the parents’ approval to have their children leaving home to work allows traffickers to take advantage and lure these unwitting children with to the cities. Once there, they are not given the works they were promised with.
Lastly, without rendering these victims as mere objects, it is after all the demand that calls for the supply. It is the responsibility, first and foremost of the country’s own government, and secondly, though not any less crucial, the international community’s task to eradicate both the demanders and the suppliers. Upon visiting any city known for its nocturnal entertainment, one cannot help but notice the conspicuousness in which such establishments operate. Thus, might the local authorities then be complicit? Children, regardless of whether or not they were born into penury or luxury, are inalienably entitled to basic rights.
Free public education is provided; it is theirs to make use of it. Finally, the cultural factors promote filial responsibility does not imply that these unknowing parents have consented to their children’s being prostituted. Over the past few decades, prostitution, pedophilia and tourism in Thailand have become words that evoke one another and more serious measures must be taken both by the Thai government itself and the international community.
– Peewara Sapsuwan
Sources: CNN, BBC News, UNICEF, Farnoosh Rezaee Ahan
Photo: Child Labor Photographs
Eritrean Refugees Abused in the Middle East
Refugees are fleeing Sub-Saharan Africa’s poverty in search for job opportunities, political freedoms and basic human rights. The sad reality of this situation is many of these opportunities are few and far in-between, and their lives rarely improve above the dire situation they were leaving.
Eritrea is one of the nations many have been fleeing from. Isayais Aferwerki, the despotic dictator who’s ruled Eritrea since its 1994 independence from Ethiopia, is a main reason. The nation is home to rampant poverty, media repression and political oppression. Adult-aged males are regularly conscripted into military service with no definite end-date, and the President was quoted as saying the nation was not ready for free elections for at least another 20-30 years. The constitution has been suspended and Eritrea remains single-party state, with opposition political groups regularly rounded up and jailed.
Around 200,000 Eritreans have left the nation in search of freedom, but it has resulted in a human rights crisis. Eritreans regularly flee to Sudan, Egypt and Israel only to be subjected to discrimination, and in some cases, have fallen into human trafficking. Israel has prevented refugees from entering by building a fence, which has resulted in asylum seekers slowing “to a trickle” of their original amount.
Human Rights Watch published a report detailing the crisis in early February stating that “refugees are commonly kidnapped, and their families extorted to pay for their release.” Those who manage to avoid kidnapping are usually deported back. HRW has focused on the culpability of Egyptian and Sudanese officials in the kidnapping crisis. The allegation has been made that corrupt officials have been benefiting financially from the situation and are actively cooperating with kidnappers.
Physicians for Human Rights released a damning report on the conditions many Eritrean refugees face on the trek to asylum. The imprisonment rate of those interviewed was around 59%, while 52% claimed they were violently abused at some point on their way to the Sinai Peninsula. Slave camps are prevalent in Egypt. In El-Arish, there are camps reported throughout the area, populated with “slave traders” who “demand ransoms” for the release of African refugees.
The report detailed that many of these refugees were tricked through “promises of being led to Israel” but rather held against their will, while other’s detailed “severe abuse.” Twenty percent of those interviewed also described witnessing murders. Israel can be considered culpable in this situation. With the building of the fence, the average of 1,500 refugees gaining asylum each month decreased to only 25 entering “between January and April 2013.”
Israel has also mounted a political campaign to defend their actions, decrying the Eritrean refugees as a “threat to Israeli society.” The public response to these accusations helped allow the government to enact stricter immigration legislation, allowing for slave traders to flourish in the wake.
The Anti-Infiltration Law was passed in January of 2012 by the Israeli Legislature of Knesset, and allowed the Israeli Government to detain any people found crossing the border. The law even prevents many of these refugees from receiving a speedy trail, allowing the Israeli state to detain undocumented immigrants for “minimum of three years.” If a undocumented immigrant is from a state considered belligerent to Israel, such as Sudan, they can be “detained indefinitely.”
It was a crushing defeat for many Africans in search of a new life free of oppression. With no options, many still flee, but they may not find the salvation they are in search of.
– Joseph Abay
Sources: Turkish Weekly, US State Department, Haaretz, The Voice, Sudan Tribune, DW, Physicians for Human Rights, Haaretz
Will E-Cigarettes Tackle China’s Tobacco Monopoly?
Since 1982, the China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC) has grown to be the world’s largest tobacco company, contributing almost 10 percent of total tax revenue to the central government. The state-backed monopoly has remained stubborn to reform in the wake of the roughly one million smoking-related deaths the country sees each year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released a statement saying that China needs to take a firmer stance against its giant tobacco industry if it hopes to reduce these numbers.
China has the world’s largest tobacco consumer base, home to more than 300 million smokers. In 2012, the CNTC had an annual net income of $18.6 billion, in contrast to the American-owned company, Phillip Morris International, with an annual net income of $8.57 billion.
So how do we tackle a multi-billion dollar monopoly?
The biggest problem is that the government itself is in the business. This creates a strong conflict of interest, which is proving difficult in weeding out the destructive habit.
In recent months, China has adopted several anti-tobacco measures, including banning government officials from smoking in public areas and banning smoking in schools. However, the tobacco monopoly has managed to continuously oppose reforms such as raising cigarette prices and using stronger health warnings on cigarette packs.
It seems that all hope is not lost.
A pair of tobacco industry manufacturers from southern China launched a joint venture on February 25 aimed at tackling the tobacco monopoly once and for all.
The collaboration between FirstUnion Technology, the world’s largest e-cigarette producer, and Jinjia, China’s biggest maker of cigarette packaging products, is an entrepreneurial match made in heaven. Both companies have achieved massive success in the southern city of Shenzhen and hope to rise among the ranks by manufacturing China’s first mass-market e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes first entered the Chinese market in 2004 and have since been exported to major markets worldwide.
Their significance?
They have become the new alternative for tobacco smokers who want to avoid inhaling smoke. Also known as electronic cigarettes, or vaporizer cigarettes, they emit doses of vaporized nicotine, or non-nicotine vaporized solution, that is inhaled. E-cigarettes have been found to have comparable rates of success in helping smokers quit as nicotine patches.
Overall, this is good news for China, but bad news for the tobacco monopoly.
The partnership between the two Chinese companies is receiving a start-up investment of just over $16 million, but they might need support from the central government if they hope to succeed.
– Mollie O’Brien
Sources: The Street, Medical News Today
Photo: Carbonated
Cuban Health Care System: A Model for All?
Just last week, Cuba celebrated the 16th annual Havana Cigar Festival, despite the increase in anti-smoking measures around the world.
The festival, which began February 24, is the world’s premier cigar event, with more than 1,500 enthusiasts flocking to Cuba’s capital for the week. The annual occasion is meant to introduce tobacco specialists and cigar lovers to new cigars and how they can combine with haute cuisine. Among the events at the festival were visits to tobacco farms and factories, the launch of new cigar labels and visits to locally-grown tobacco markets.
The festival concluded on Friday with a real twist: a gala dinner and humidor auction, where $1.1 million was raised for Cuba’s public healthcare system.
The festival sparked much public interest into the current state of Cuban health care, often noted as a public health care model that could inform other developing countries.
Cuba’s health care system is a private-payer system managed by the government. Its focus is on prevention and community health, with 1,000 patients per physician in urban areas. Primary care is highly valued and physicians tend to live in the same communities as their patients.
Virtually all citizens of Cuba have been vaccinated and the life expectancy of 78 is almost identical to that of the United States. The infant mortality rate is lower than that of the U.S., with fewer than deaths per 1,000 births. The literacy rate is 99 percent and health education is a mandatory part of school curriculum.
These improved health outcomes are largely due to the fact that the healthcare system addresses immediate bio-medical concerns as well as the social determinants of health such as nutrition and education.
Despite these advances, there are still major problems occurring within Cuba’s health care system. The country is far from developed and lacks basic infrastructure needed to maintain a healthy population. Resources are limited, technology is at a minimum and the Internet is often hard to obtain.
Some of these obstacles are beginning to be addressed by the Cuban government. For example, resources have been invested in developing more advanced biotechnology at the level seen in countries such as the U.S.
With the help of the generous donation to Cuba’s health care system made Friday, people might see some of these advances in the near future.
– Mollie O’Brien
Sources: Daily Journal, Chicago Tribune, The New England Journal of Medicine
Photo: National Turk
Chinese Judicial System Investigated for Corruption
Following ongoing cases of judicial corruption with commutations to sentences, probations and cases of bribery, Chinese authorities have declared they will establish a strict anti-corruption initiative.
A former board chairman of a Chinese beverage company was able to navigate his way through the judicial system and eventually escape overseas. According to Chinese news agencies, Zhang Hai was able to illegally reduce his sentence by nine years. His release came after he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for embezzling the equivalent of $33.8 million in public funds.
There are 24 people altogether, ranging from police officers to prison and court officials, that are now under investigation for their involvement in the case highlighting judicial corruption from multiple fronts. The Commission for Political and Legal Affairs under the China Central Committee reported that criminals were able to use money and power to escape punishment in the Chinese criminal justice system.
The anti-corruption drive aims to strengthen the framework of the judicial system so there is greater accountability and transparency. In fact, a report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences revealed that multiple local and regional governments were neglecting the process of publicizing information to allow for transparency in the judiciary.
Cases of corruption within the Chinese judicial system indicate a significant concern for the Chinese people. Similar to the United States judicial system, the Chinese judiciary is only able to operate with the good faith of the people. Problems arise, however, when a lack of transparency obstructs the awareness of corruption. Moreover, in-depth studies of the corruption within the Chinese judicial system indicate that acts of corruption are not rare and isolated occurrences. On the contrary, corruption is embedded within the Chinese judicial system and is even inherently produced by the mechanism of decision-making.
To account for the systemic failures of their judicial system, Chinese authorities plan to take an institutional approach to addressing the problem by amending the system. According to the Central Commission for Discipline Investigation, a total of 182,038 Chinese government officials have been punished for corruption in the last year. Considering the magnitude of the government’s shortcomings in stemming corruption, it is important that authorities begin to seriously address the ongoing problem.
– Jugal Patel
Sources: BBC, Global Times, U.S.-Asia Law Institute
Photo: New York Times
Uganda Signs Anti-Gay Bill
Uganda is under massive scrutiny for passing one of the world’s toughest anti-gay laws. The move comes after a similar bill was passed in Nigeria, which gives a 14 year sentence for being convicted of acts of homosexuality. The bill has come under fire from many Western countries as well as a great many activist organizations.
The anti-gay bill in Uganda comes with some of the most weighty punishments in the world. According to NPR, the punishments can include life in prison for some of the perceived harsher offenses. Simply renting an apartment to an lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) person and not telling the authorities can result in five years in prison. According to variety of sources a group of Evangelical Christians in the United States may be behind the background of the bill. As they see the anti-gay movement as lost in the United States, they are now trying to stem the tide in other countries.
There have been reports that Evangelical Christians have indeed been using money and influence in Uganda to promote anti-LGBT sentiment and get bills such as the one Uganda President Yoweri Museveni signed into law a more common part of African law. Museveni recently said, “ I…encourage the United States government to help us by working with our scientist to study whether indeed, there are people who are born homosexual.” This issue is still being debated.
Beyond the obvious human rights tie, there is a broader issue here: the age old intervening imperialist question. As soon as the bill was signed into law, Western powers and international organizations cut off funding as well as other economic sanctions upon Museveni’s signing of the bill. It is no secret that the majority of the countries in Africa do require foreign aid of some type; and African nations are not usually going to reject large injections of cash.
The stance of President Museveni and Uganda to the delay a $90 million dollar loan from the World Bank has been surprising. Ofwono Opondo, a government spokesman, said, “The West can keep their aid to Uganda over homos, we shall develop without it.” This is a surprising stance from one of the world’s poorest countries with a per capita income of only $170.
The anti-gay bill signed into law by Museveni is one of number of discouraging bills that are coming to fruition which are both extremely anti-development and anti-human rights. For one of the poorest countries in the world, making life even more difficult for some of its citizens is, in the words of Secretary of State John Kerry, “…just morally wrong…”
– Arthur Fuller
Sources: New York Times, NPR, CNN, New York Times, World Bank, The Independent, Business Day Live, BBC
Human Rights Violations in Somalia for 23 Years
The history of human rights violations against Somali citizens by their government under the rule of Siad Barre contributed to an overthrow that forced him to flee in 1991. The subsequent power vacuum led to the Somali civil war that continues to rage on to this day. For over 23 years, Somalia has been ravaged by human rights abuses, war crimes and the lack of a developed justice system to deal with these issues.
The main players at this moment are the Islamic backed forces, al-Shabaab, and the pro-government forces, the Federal Republic of Somalia, Ethiopian troops and African Union troops operating under the African Union Mission to Somalia. While the faces have changed throughout the 23 year conflict, the main points of contention remain the same.
The Islamic forces wish for the country to become an Islamic state ruled under Sharia law, while government forces aim for the country to follow through with the constitution that founded the federal republic in 2012. Major human rights violations are committed on both sides of the Civil War, limiting positive change in the country.
Human rights violations include indiscriminate attacks against civilians, displacement of persons, restrictions on humanitarian aid, rape, recruitment and use of child soldiers, unlawful killings and torture by armed groups and armed piracy off the Somali coast. Various treaties including the Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights forbid the indiscriminate use of force against civilians. According to Amnesty International, “all parties to the conflict use mortars and heavy weapons in areas populated or frequented by civilians, killing and injuring thousands of people, many of which are women and children under the age of 14.”
The killings not only affect those being killed, but they also the education of the Somalis. A report by Amnesty International states that, “in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, many schools have closed down as students and teachers fear being injured and killed on their way to school.” These indiscriminate killings by forces on both sides will lead to the further destruction of the country and its future. The Somalis need to continue their education in order to push the country towards a better path.
The topic of child soldiers has gained popularity in the last few years due to campaigns such as “Kony 2012.” The use of child soldiers is not limited to Uganda, however, and Somalia is a prime example of the horrible atrocities that occur while using them. According to a January 2013 Human Rights Watch report, “al-Shabaab has increasingly targeted children for recruitment, forced marriage, and rape, and has attacked teachers and schools.”
However, government forces have also used child soldiers, as described later in the same article. “In July 2012, the TFG [Transitional Federal Government] signed a plan of action against child recruitment; yet the same month, 15 children were identified among a group of new recruits sent to a European Union-funded training in Uganda.” Abuses are occurring on on both sides of the conflict, and further action may need to be taken by outside parties.
The problems with human rights violations occurring in Somalia do not seem to be getting any better. Unfortunately, humanitarian access to those who need aid is limited at the moment because of restrictions from allies to the conflict, diversion of aid and insecurity. The few humanitarian workers still in the country are being targeted, further limiting access to much needed aid.
– Kenneth W. Kliesner
Sources: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch
Photo: Global Post
Summer Internships in Seattle
As the winter season starts to wind down, students from across the country are beginning their search of summer internships. Summer internships are a great way to gain new experiences, travel to places you’ve always wanted to visit, and meet new people—all while gaining valuable skills that will give you the edge in securing employment in the future.
Landing a summer internship can seem like a daunting task. What am I interested in? How do I apply? If you have arrived at these questions, you are already on the right path! Most companies offer students the chance to play a role in their daily functions and learn about their work environment. For those interested in global poverty reduction, human rights activism, and other service based careers, here are potential summer internship opportunities for you
Political Affairs Internship, The Borgen Project
Summer Internship Program, American Red Cross
Community Engagement Intern Program, Feeding Children Everywhere
Intern, ONE Campaign
Student Internship Program, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
These summer internships offer students from diverse backgrounds with various interests a chance to develop new skills and gain valuable experience working to alleviate social problems of today.
– Sunny Bhatt
Sources: The Borgen Project, Red Cross, Feeding Children Everywhere, Idealist.org
Photo: Wdet
Hungry Planet: What Does the World Eat?
A project called Hungry Planet depicts what an average family consumes in a week. Ranging from $325 in Germany to $1.23 in Chad, food costs are based on many factors including environment, culture and economy.
An average family in the United States spends about $150 per week on food, according to a 2012 Gallup poll. Hungry Planet depicted a few American families who spent various amounts per week ranging from $341 in North Carolina to $242 in Texas and $159 in California.
The United States Department of Agriculture performed a study in 2011 that revealed what Americans eat. The results include: 632 pounds of dairy products, 415 pounds of vegetables, 273 pounds of fruit and 183 pounds of meat and poultry. Perhaps the most shocking result is that Americans consume 141 of sweeteners and 53 gallons of soda in a year. Of the 415 pounds of vegetables that Americans consume, 29 pounds are french fries.
In Kuwait, the average four-person family spends the equivalent of $221 per week on food. Because most of the land in Kuwait is not well-suited for agriculture due to soil infertility, water scarcity, unfavorable climate or lack of a trained labor force, much of the food comes from the water. Fish and crustaceans are plentiful in the Persian Gulf, but most of the food commodities are imported.
Those in Mali spend the equivalent of $26 per week on food, which consists mainly of rice, millet, sorghum, fish and vegetables. An Emergency Food Security Assessment conducted by the Government of Mali revealed that three out of four households in northern Mali are moderately to severely food insecure.
Chad, a country where people are barely spending the equivalent of one dollar per week on food, is heavily reliant on external assistance. Agriculture and farming is hindered by erratic rains, cyclical droughts and poor farming practices. A 2011 drought left the country in a severe food crisis in 2013.
Food insecurity is connected to education and environment. In Chad, access to basic education is limited, with an enrollment rate of 36 percent and adult literacy rates of 21 percent for women and 43 percent for men.
Improved literacy is one factor in increasing the understanding of agricultural and sustainable practices, which can increase food production. Advanced technologies to control excessive rains or draughts also benefit farming practices. When policies aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity are combined with education and climate control technologies, the effect will be a positive change to create more vibrant markets, employment opportunities and economic growth.
– Haley Sklut
Sources: Time, USDA, GALLUP, Our Africa, World Food Programme, UN-FAO
Photo: Time
Hillary Clinton: Champion of Women’s Rights
In 1995, Hillary Clinton took the stage at the fourth annual United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing. She listed the atrocities and violations committed against women and girls around the world.
Although women comprise half of the human population, they are 70 percent of the world’s poor and two-thirds of women are illiterate. Women in the informal labor economy remain unprotected and at risk of exploitation. Girls around the world are at risk of sexual violence, rape, domestic abuse and child marriage.
Almost 20 years later, Clinton’s speech is still remembered for being a firm declaration of women’s rights on the international stage. Not only was it a message for the Chinese government, but a call to countries around the world to promote women’s rights as human rights.
As a United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton continued to promote women’s rights and empowerment both domestically and internationally. During her four-year tenure, she visited 112 countries, spreading awareness of human rights abuses.
Since leaving the State Department in 2013, she became involved with a new project: the Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation. The Clinton Foundation has partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to further women’s rights.
Although there has been much progression in the 21th century, Clinton warns that there is little data to accurately measure the advancement made in women’s rights globally. This foundation seeks to record and analyze the progress of women by collecting data and figures from traditional and digital sources.
This concrete data will show world leaders how advancing women and human rights is linked with economic development. By empowering and including women in its economic and social life, communities and families are enhanced and can reach their full potential.
On February 25, 2014, Clinton spoke at Georgetown University’s annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security. The former Secretary of State held that men are also responsible for advancing and protecting women’s rights and that it is not purely a women’s issue. Men, boys, women and girls all suffer from violence and discrimination against females.
Hillary Clinton remains a strong and popular potential candidate for the 2016 Democratic Nomination for presidency. As a woman and potential nomination candidate, she is subjected to greater and unequal focus on her physical appearance, her age, and her hairstyles. And although Clinton has proved her strength, wisdom and determination for decades as a Senator, First Lady of the United States and U.S. Secretary of State, she is still affected by sexism and the widespread notion of what women should and should not aspire to be.
“If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all. Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely -and the right to be heard,” Clinton said in 1995.
– Sarah Yan
Sources: Eloquent Woman, MSNBC, Huffington Post
Photo: ABC
Thailand: Child Sex Workers
A land that has long been notoriously infamous for as a destination for carnal gratification, many tourists from all around the world visit Thailand not only for its beaches, but also for something more sinister: the tropical country has to offer. But it is not only tourists who do so. Many locals take advantage of the legal loopholes to engage in hiring sex workers as well. However, those who are involved in this illicit business are not limited to adults of the legal age of consent, which, according to the Thai law, is 16 years old.
In addition, other legislation taken into consideration, the legal age to engage in sexual intercourse of the nature of prostitution makes 18 years old the actual legal age of the solicitor. However, the legal prohibition is merely ostensive; punishment against what is essentially a commercialized statutory rape is rarely meted out. Under the ever leniently enforced, often malleable and inconstant law, child prostitution is allowed to thrive.
It is estimated that perhaps as many as 800,000 children under the legal age of consent for sexual intercourse (16 years old) are victims of enslavement for the purpose of coerced prostitution. Often procured to much older men against their will, these victims of pedophilia often consist of young girls trafficked from the uplands of Thailand as well as from neighboring and countries. Forced to work in the touristic cities of the coasts, the most infamous among them being Pattaya, a large number of them have been lured by the promise of other occupations involving tasks of non-venereal descriptions.
The gargantuan pedophiliac sex industry also includes many young boys between the age of 10 to 13-years old. Like their female counterparts, they are forced to engage in coital relations with mainly Western men. UNICEF puts the number of children affected by HIV/AIDS, both having been born with and contracted in Thailand at 300,000.
Not only are children who are forced into prostitution exposed to diseases and violence of unspeakable luridness, they are also deprived of their opportunity to be children and to go to school. The result of this lack of opportunity and qualification is a vicious cycle from which victims of child prostitution find difficult to disentangle themselves. Some become procurers and some continue working in the industry.
One discernible reason for the persistence of child prostitution, at least among those victims who have been obtained domestically, may be the value of filial duty embedded within the culture. This may have made some rural parents to, by indiscretion, believe children should be able to “put bread on the table.” Thus, the parents’ approval to have their children leaving home to work allows traffickers to take advantage and lure these unwitting children with to the cities. Once there, they are not given the works they were promised with.
Lastly, without rendering these victims as mere objects, it is after all the demand that calls for the supply. It is the responsibility, first and foremost of the country’s own government, and secondly, though not any less crucial, the international community’s task to eradicate both the demanders and the suppliers. Upon visiting any city known for its nocturnal entertainment, one cannot help but notice the conspicuousness in which such establishments operate. Thus, might the local authorities then be complicit? Children, regardless of whether or not they were born into penury or luxury, are inalienably entitled to basic rights.
Free public education is provided; it is theirs to make use of it. Finally, the cultural factors promote filial responsibility does not imply that these unknowing parents have consented to their children’s being prostituted. Over the past few decades, prostitution, pedophilia and tourism in Thailand have become words that evoke one another and more serious measures must be taken both by the Thai government itself and the international community.
– Peewara Sapsuwan
Sources: CNN, BBC News, UNICEF, Farnoosh Rezaee Ahan
Photo: Child Labor Photographs