The Washington Post is running a series of in-depth articles entitled “A Woman’s World: the struggle for equality around the globe.” Its most recent installment is a chilling portrayal of a 10-year-old girl named Adiza, who ran away from a home in November where she had been employed as a domestic worker but was, in fact, a household servant who was frequently beaten, physically tortured and emotionally deprived. As the Post reports:
The number of girls like Adiza, who leave their communities or even their countries to clean other people’s houses, has surged in recent years, according to labor and human rights specialists. The girls in the maid trade, some as young as 5, often go unpaid, and their work in private homes means the abuses they suffer are out of public view.
The International Labor Organization (ILO), a U.N. agency based in Geneva, said more girls under 16 work in domestic service than in any other category of child labor. The organization said that maids are among the most exploited workers and that few nations have adequate regulations to safeguard them.
The remainder of the article is available through this link.
One of the questions facing the new Obama Administration is how to deal with the growing global trade in human beings, especially children. Since overt forms of slavery and human trafficking are outlawed by virtually every nation on earth, progress in combating modern forms of slavery will most likely have to come through international cooperation, diplomatic and political pressure, and increasing public and news media awareness.
Is this a top priority for the U.S. government? Post your thoughts here.
Tags: child domestic workers, child servants, International Labor Organization, Togo
Posted on Saturday, December 27th, 2008 at 10:00 am in Commentary, News, Slavery Today.
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