Helena Selby
3 September 2008
opinion
Who would have thought that history would be able to invisibly repeat itself in this modern busy world? Is it always said that the past is gone and that there is the need to think of what the future pertains, since there is the belief that the future stands on its own, and has to be faced alone. However, the situation seems a bit far from what people perceive. It is mind-boggling that the issue of slavery, which was abolished a very long time ago, undetectably exists in this world of ours. It is probably due to the fact of today's greater population, making human life cheaper.
A very long time ago, between the 1500s and 1800s as history indicates, about 10 million Africans were sold into slavery, some bargained off by their own tribal kings and chiefs to the whiteman, for marginal commodities such gunpowder, alcohol and mirrors. The emergence of the whiteman in Africa, which was first received by the people with thoughts that they were gods and could help them, turned out to be the opposite.
Their freedom of movement was curtailed, because anytime anyone wandered out of their immediate surroundings, they were captured and sent into slavery.
Though slavery has been described as the greatest tragedy in human history, traces of it still exist in different forms in the modern day society.
Modern Slavery
The Oxford English Dictionary defines slavery as an act in which one is owned by and must work for another; a person dependent on or controlled by something; a mechanism directly controlled by another and works very hard without any adequate reward.
The 1926 Slavery Convention described slavery as "...the status and/or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised..." Slaves cannot leave an owner, an employer or a territory without explicit permission and they will be returned if they escape.
According to Wikipedia, in June and July 2007, 570 people, who had been enslaved by brick manufacturers in Shanxi and Henan, were freed by the Chinese government. Among those rescued were 69 children.
In Mauritania alone, it is estimated that up to 600,000 men, women and children, or 20% of the population, are enslaved, many of them used as bonded labour.
Slavery in Mauritania was criminalised in August 2007.
In Niger, slavery is also a current phenomenon.
A Nigerian study has found that more than 800,000 people are enslaved, almost 8% of the population of that country.
Child slavery has commonly been used in the production of cash crops and in mining. According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 109,000 children were working on cocoa farms alone in Côte d'Ivoire, in 'the worst forms of child labor' in 2002.
Olden day slavery normally dealt mostly with the older children, since they were transported to other countries to do tedious work. Nevertheless, modern day slavery concentrates mostly on the younger generation, which is termed the child slavery. So far the recognised types of child slavery include child abuse, child labour, child prostitution and child trafficking.
Children involved in this kind of slavery, in one way or the other, lose any freedoms they have. Their basic rights like the right to education, right of free expression, and even right for material needs are denied.
Child prostitution
In Ghana one below the age of 18 is considered to be a child, and cannot make important decisions, concerning his or her life, on her on accord. Anybody below the age of 18 indulging in the act of prostitution is considered a child prostitute. There is a demand for trafficked children, as cheap labour or for sexual exploitation. Mexico's Social Service Agency reports that there are more than 16,000 children engaged in prostitution, with tourist destinations, being among the areas with the highest number.
Mostly children under 18 years, from very poor families, fall prey to this abuse, as well as ignorant children from villages, and children of illiterate guardians. Most times, ignorant parents and guardians, especially those in the villages, are lured by people from the urban areas and take their children with them in bid of greener pastures for them. Some end up working as kayayos or in other exploitative work, those who are not fortunate enough becomes victims of pimps and madams. Exercising their rights is an issue out of the question. In Ghana Commission for Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) an NGO and human rights activists, have worked, and are continuing to, towards issues of child trafficking, and so far have achieved considerable results.
Child trafficking The Chronicle Newspaper of July 11, 2008, reported an issue concerning child trafficking. According to the report, child trafficking was on the increase in three districts of Ghana, namely Krachi East and West, in the Volta Region, and the Sene District and in the Brong Ahafo Region. Geneva Global, Partners in Community Development Programme (PACODEM), and Touch and Light Ministry, which are NGOs, is very disappointed in the frequent trafficking of children, and the disrespect of laws that protect the right of children. PACODEM, through their investigations, discovered that 17 trafficked children were rescued in five fishing communities, namely Old Yabi, Wodzedzi, Lala, Old Nkomi and Old Nanasewi.
The organization (PACODEM), in collaboration with Geneva Global, was able to rescue 120 trafficked children in the three districts, with more of such children still living in difficult conditions. The two bodies, through their help to humanity, were able to house some of these children at the PACODEM Rehabilitation Centre, where they are being counseled and attending school, before reuniting with their parents.
Child trafficking, just like an epidemic, is spreading rapidly throughout the world. UNICEF through its research discovered that child trafficking, was becoming an increasing global problem, affecting large numbers of children. Some estimates have as many as 1.2 million children being trafficked every year.
In places where there are frequent occurrences of war especially Somalia, Sudan, Chad and other places of political instability, unfortunate children are captured and turned into child-soldiers. They are taken into horrifying situations and experiences, from which they turn out to have no sense of fear, or pity for human life. Though some resist, the only way out, most times, is death.
Inhumane cultural practices and child slavery
The existing cultural practices in the world also in a way portray some forms of child slavery. Child marriage which is one of the bad cultural practices can simply be explained as marrying a girl off before the age of puberty. Whereas some tribes deem it an honour and importance, to allow a girl to grow till the appropriate time for marriage, others deem it as irrelevant and pointless. In many parts of the world, child marriage is being practiced without any sense of remorse. Children in this situation lose all their rights to the supposed husband. This practice can be found in Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Malawi and certain parts of northern Ghana.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is also practiced in many parts of the world is the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia, or procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs, for non-medical reasons. Procedures can cause severe bleeding and urinary problems, and later potential childbirth complications and newborn deaths. It is mostly carried out on young girls, between infancy and the age of 15.Tthe girls in this case has no sexual desire, she turn out to be enslaved emotionally and sexually. The practice has no health benefits for females, and in Africa about three million girls are at risk of FGM annually. An estimated 100 to 140 million girls, and women worldwide, are currently living with the consequences of FGM.
For trokosi it is a customary rite practiced in the Volta Region of Ghana, especially among the Ewe tribe. With this practice a virgin girl is taken to a shrine to pay for the wrongdoings of a family member, especially the parents. The girl is bestowed to the shine, so loses the chance of getting married to any man, since she is believed to be married to the fetish priest immediately the rite is performed. The priest, due to this, begins to have sex with her at a tender age of about 13. Decisions concerning her life lie in the hands of the priest, her husband.
Government
It is important that 23rd August, every year, is observed internationally as a remembrance of the slave trade and its abolition, to guide present and future generation along the path of respecting the dignity of fellow human beings. The event is purposed to help mankind reject the vices of discrimination, racism, exclusion and xenophobia. Apart from the awareness, the Minister for Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, stated that the Ministry had decided to continue education on the transatlantic slave trade in schools, through the inclusion of the subject matter in the syllabus at Basic and Secondary school levels, and also in Teacher Training institutions.
Conclusion The rate at which mankind is refusing to let go of slavery, is in direct conflict with modern day democracy and its principles, and has come to be regarded as a form of human rights abuse in our society. A child's freedom, dignity and pride are very important. It is the responsibility of the older generation to protect children, since they are the ones to take care of the future world.
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