Guest Author - Sandy Mullins

Most people I am sure think that slavery ended with the Civil War in the United States, but slavery in some form still exists to this day. On December 2, 1949, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 317(IV), for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. On December 18, 2002, the General Assembly proclaimed 2004 the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolitionby resolution 57/195.

“The word "slavery" today covers a variety of human rights violations. In addition to traditional slavery and the slave trade, these abuses include the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography, the exploitation of child labour, the sexual mutilation of female children, the use of children in armed conflicts, debt bondage, the traffic in persons and in the sale of human organs, the exploitation of prostitution, and certain practices under apartheid and colonial régimes.”
(Fact Sheet No. 14, Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)

Forms of Slavery still in existence today:
Child Labor:
Children are used in child labor because of one thing they are cheap, easier to control, too scared to do anything about their abuse and because of their fingers are small and nimble. Children age seven to ten work more than twelve hours a day for less than one-third of an adult’s wage. Some children are kidnaped and held in remote locations chained up so they can’t escape. Some children work building roads and at stone-quarries.

Children as military:
In some countries children are kidnaped, trained as soldiers by rebels or governments. Many children die or are disabled, they are tortured, beaten, or kept as prisoners of war.

Prostitution and Pornography
Women and children are used in prostitution and in some countries. Child pornography is rampant in most countries.

Sale of children
In poverty, children are sold. Some of the families believe it is a win, win situation, they have one less mouth to feed and support and the money will help them buy the food they need. Unfortunately, usually the children end up as slaves and are abused.

Debt bondage
This has been around since the dawn of time. People have worked farms for land owners or as servants in their homes all in hopes of some day paying the debt or owning the land they are working. Sadly this rarely ever does come to pass.

So take a moment, and as always take a stand on making the world a better place for every man, woman and child!

United Nations Website (Offsite Link)

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