Children Speak Out. Trafficking Risk and Resilience in Southeast Europe. Regional Report
- Document number
- 1477
- Date
- 2007
- Title
- Children Speak Out. Trafficking Risk and Resilience in Southeast Europe. Regional Report
- Author/publisher
- Save the Children Albania
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Research/Study/Analysis,
- Keywords
- Child Trafficking Response Programme Southeast Europe, Corporate social responsibility, Multi-stakeholder partnerships: Child Trafficking, Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, Missing children, Internal trafficking, Forced labour, Identification, Domestic servitude, Sexual exploitation, Private fostering, Forced marriage, Best Interests Principle, Child Victims of Trafficking, Separated Migrant Children, Unaccompanied minors, Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Child protection systems,
- Summary
- The aim of this regional action-participatory research was to obtain detailed information from children about the factors that expose some of them to the risks of trafficking and exploitation, as well as to learn about their strength and resiliency in unfavourable situations that many of them are faced with. This research report presents the children's perception of their own lives and their relationships with their peers, adult family members or adults from the institution and the wider community. This research indicated a whole spectrum and range of interconnected factors that children perceive as influencing their feeling of vulnerability. On the other hand, children's responses led us to the recognition of resiliency, identified within their personal capacity, the relationships they developed and their environment. It showed that, from the child's perspective, there was no single factor or influence that would make them more likely or more at risk of getting into a risk situation, but an interplay of factors at all levels. Children's responses highlighted various links and influences that come from their community, which influence the relationships they built, and therefore also children’s personal capacities and specific characteristics. This whole combination of factors proved important for the child's perception of risk and/or resiliency. This research showed that the children's view of reality was very complex and considerably not in accordance with the existing policy and adults’ understanding of children’s perspective, or programmes intended for children. Children's responses showed the existence of their view and understanding of reality and the necessity, if adults really want to strengthen and develop their resiliency in all segments, to use the approach based on their perspective. Concerning the phenomenon of trafficking, the available reference materials distinguish certain groups of children that are more at risk than others. The factors that are most frequently identified refer to the political sphere of life in countries undergoing transition and privatization. Our research showed that children see this factor of risks or opportunities children contain through the clear perception of their life in the crcumstances that they live in and the opportunities within it. They think that the circumstances they live in and the functioning of institutions do not leave children a chance or choice that would give them a feeling of safety and certainty in the community, even the country. It is considered that poverty puts children at risk of trafficking – however, we noticed that poverty as assessed by the academics did not correspond with the children's perception of it. Children said that their children's assessment of financial need might put them at risk, especially if they saw no possibility or certainty of obtaining financial security in the future. The rigid norms of the patriarchal system were identified as an important factor within the socio – cultural norms that expose female children to greater risk. Children confirmed this, but emphasised that, besides the evidently greater risk for girls, there also existed the risk for boys related to their role and responsibility in providing for their families. Social marginalization was identified as an important risk factor, especially for RAE children, but based on the segment of interpersonal relations. Our research showed that children assessed this marginalization and discrimination as risky, but thought the marginalization coming from the global-institutional and systemic level more risky.
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