15877: Nadal: Re: Lavalas in action ! (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

>From Olivier Nadal: o_nadal@bellsouth.net


Trafficking in Persons Report
Released by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
June 11, 2003

Country Narratives -- Countries H through P
HAITI (Tier 3)
Haiti is mainly a source country for trafficking of children for forced
labor and sexual exploitation. Haitian children are trafficked internally by
poor parents who place their children as servants ("restaveks") in
households of better-off families. Although not all children are victimized
in this process, significant numbers are sexually exploited and otherwise
abused in sometimes slave-like conditions. The Government of Haiti states
that from 90,000 to 120,000 children are restaveks (UNICEF's estimate is
250,000 to 300,000). Haitian children also are trafficked into the Dominican
Republic where some are similarly exploited. Large numbers of Haitian
economic migrants illegally enter the Dominican Republic where some become
trafficking victims. On a smaller scale, Haiti is a transit and destination
country. Victims are third country illegal migrants, often Chinese,
transiting through Haiti on the way to North America, where they encounter
forced labor exploitation to repay traffickers. Women from the Dominican
Republic are trafficked into Haiti for prostitution. Reports indicate that
many of these women travel voluntarily, but some are victims of trafficking.
The Government of Haiti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for
the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do
so. Although faced with a wide array of national challenges, the Government
of Haiti needs to undertake significant steps even in the context of its
limited capacity to address trafficking.
Prevention
The government is attempting to educate the public with national television
and radio messages on the mistreatment of children, including restaveks.
Officials, including the First Lady, have spoken out against the use of
restaveks. However, more needs to be done. The Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs, charged with redressing the restaveks abuse, is one of the
least-funded in the government. In 2003, the government planned a series of
seminars to target parents, educators, and children to discourage them from
taking part in the restaveks practice.
Prosecution
The Government of Haiti has recently passed a law prohibiting the
trafficking of children and held an inter-ministerial conference to plan its
implementation; however, the government to date does not arrest or prosecute
traffickers. There are national statutes regulating child domestic labor,
but these laws are not enforced. Governmental measures to address the
problems associated with restaveks are in their infancy. The government does
not adequately monitor and control its border.
Protection
Government efforts to address abuses of restaveks have been frustrated due
to continuing severe financial limitations. The Haitian Ministry of Labor
and Social Affairs finances four monitors (four others are financed by
donors) to oversee the welfare of the tens of thousands of restaveks
children. The government sponsors a hotline where abuses can be reported.
Monitors investigate and respond to calls for assistance, but given the
magnitude of the restaveks problem, these efforts are minimal. The number of
children rescued from trafficking has declined in the past three years (in
2002 it was about 100). Government officials work with local NGOs to
resettle children or find their natural families.