violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

250Violence against children in places of workRegional Desk Review, for example, expressesconcern about a ‘growing population’ of streetchildren in countries like Jamaica and Haitiwho become involved in illicit activities toearn money, including packaging and sellingdrugs, or acting as ‘look-outs’ for both policeand criminals. 98In some countries of Europe and Central Asia,the growing presence of children working onthe streets, and their involvement in illicitactivities including petty theft, begging andprostitution has prompted similar concern. 99In Saint Petersburg, some 10–30% of workingstreet children are involved in illicit activitiessuch as trade in stolen goods and drug trafficking.100In many parts of the world, police assume thatchildren trying to earn money on the street arenecessarily involved in illegal activity, addingto the violence in these children’s lives. In somecountries, such children are legally defined aspotentially deviant or criminalised as outcasts,and the police are entitled to arrest them. 101(Arbitrary and violent arrest for offences suchas vagrancy is covered in the chapter on onviolence against children in care and justiceinstitutions.)Children involved in trading drugsThe trade in drugs has become one of the mostpervasive categories of illicit child labour.In this type of street-based work, violenceor being on the end of violent behaviour iscommon, and drug trading also exposes childrento risks of substance abuse and harm. Astudy in the two regions of Estonia where druguse among minors is common found that themajority of children involved in drug dealingor trafficking are users of cannabis, heroin oramphetamines themselves. 102 Although notaddicted when they start pushing drugs, theysoon experiment with the products they areselling.In Somalia, the trade in khat, a narcotic leaf,is openly practised and is one of the most profitablebusinesses in the country. Working inthe khat trade is sought after by boys, becauseit is the highest-paying form of entrepreneurship.103 In the Philippines, a study found thatnearly 20% of children involved in the drugtrade were hurt or injured in the process, and17% witnessed other children being physicallypunished. 104 Reasons included losing thedrugs, or failing to remit the money to thehandler. About 25% of the children said that ifthey failed to perform well, the consequenceswould be beating, scolding or threats.A study on children in the drug trade in Riode Janeiro is one of the few extensive surveyson children in illegal activities. 105 Since the1980s, increasing numbers of children havebecome involved as the trade has becomemore open, more centred on cocaine, moreestablished in the favelas (poorer city quarters),and more heavily armed. Children aredrawn into the trade through social associationwith dealers on the street and throughthe lack of alternative opportunities. The risein young people’s involvement is reflected bythe dramatic rise in registered convictions(of under 18s) for drug dealing or trafficking– from 110 in 1980, to 1,584 in 2001. Inten-