April is Child Abuse Prevention month and International Day Against Child Slavery throughout the world. A time when child abuse prevention should be in our immediate focus, we are confronted with an ugly incident. Child star, Rubina Ali of Oscar winning film Slum Dog Millionaire, is making front page news due to allegations that her father is ”trying” to sell her.
It is rather unfortunate that any parent would try to sell their child. Let alone a child in India most children that are sold end up in some sort of forced labor. I hope the recent highlight in selling children help to raise awareness to child abuse and maltreatment everywhere, especially in India, in Haiti (restavek), and to the plight of children use as camel jockeys in Middle Eastern countries.
If Rubina Ali were to be sold, she would be one of the many Indian children that are sold by their families because the parents are extreme poor. Unfortunately, these children don’t end up in posh homes such as Madonna’s or in a home with the average loving parents. Too often, Indian children that are sold, end up as camel jockeys and are forced into other forms of child labour. The Ansar Burney Trust tries to reconnect former Child Camel Jockeys with their families.
Let’s raise awareness and help prevent child-abuse and fight child child-slavery.
Find out more here: International Day Against Child Slavery
