violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

The long struggle to end the use of boys as camel jockeysASI was unable to make significant progress until it joined forces with the InternationalConfederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the ILO. In 2001, the ILOpersuaded the UAE to ratify Convention No. 182. This led to a ban in 2002 on the useof camel jockeys aged under 15 and lower in weight than 45 kg. Even then, progresswas slow and some trafficking continued. However, in March 2005 the age limit waslegally revised upwards to 16 years (later to 18), and in May 2005 UNICEF reachedan agreement with the UAE Governments to facilitate the repatriation of the boys totheir countries of origin over a two-year period. Within eight months well over 1,000boys had been identified. Many began to return home to Pakistan and Bangladesh laterin 2005.258Violence against children in places of workThe boys were initially received at special centres, from which they were to be reunitedwith their families if possible. If these were not able to be found, education and reintegrationwithin the society were to be undertaken by care organisations. Other boys,including workers at the stables, were subsequently also returned to Sudan and Mauritania.In all four countries, support was provided to families and communities andpermanent mechanisms set up to help prevent further trafficking or re-trafficking. Thereintegration of the children was subject to monitoring with emphasis on strengtheningcommunity care and creating a supportive environment to prevent discriminationagainst them. 138,139,140example by official persecution of the childrenthemselves on the basis of their stigmatisedsocial status.Some efforts to implement child labour lawswith civil society cooperation have been made.In areas where trafficking is common, communitygroups or community-based watch/vigilance systems have been set up; they mayalso report breaches of child labour legislationand non-attendance of children in school. 141For example, in Benin, village surveillancecommittees backed by the provincial administrationhave helped to reduce the trafficking ofchildren, both by educating families about thedangers of trafficking, and by working withthe police when a child from the village goesmissing. 142 However, a number of lessons werelearned from this programme. 143 It was necessarynot to use fear-inducing messages, butto try to convince people about the harmfulnature of something they currently accepted.Surveillance committees did not functionwell if they were seen as agents of oppressionagainst local families and children.