“Children belong in families, not orphanages.” - Lumos Foundation
About 8 million children worldwide are living in institutions, even though an estimated 80-90% have at least one living parent.
These children have heightened vulnerability to human trafficking because of the physical and psychological effects of institutionalization, societal isolation, and often subpar governmental oversight.
Beyond heightened vulnerability, there is the issue of orphanage trafficking.
Orphanage trafficking is recruiting children from vulnerable families to be placed in institutions to be exploited, often for the financial gain of the orphanage directors.
The children become “paper orphans”: documented as orphans while still having at least one living parent.
In November, Australia became the first country in the world to recognize orphanage trafficking as a form of modern day slavery, but it exists around the world.
Several orphanages, across three different continents, were recently found to be doubling as brothels. Others use the children for forced labor. Living in the institutions that are exploiting them leaves these children with nowhere to turn.
Some institutions even send “child finders” to communities “affected by war, natural disaster, poverty, or societal discrimination--and promise parents education, food security, safety, and healthcare for their children. Instead of fulfilling those promises, many orphanages use the children to raise funds by forcing them to perform shows for or interact and play with potential donors to encourage more donations. Orphanages have also kept children in poor health to elicit more sympathy and money from donors.”
This practice is well-documented in several countries, including Nepal, Cambodia, and Haiti.
To fight this horrible practice, governments and other organizations can reduce vulnerabilities by helping families to be able to provide for their children so they do not end up in institutions. Stricter monitoring of institutions housing children can decrease the risk of trafficking by ensuring better care. Countries, organizations, and individuals who donate to existing institutions should check that they meet the minimum standards of care and that the money will directly support children.
How You Can Help
The Dressember Foundation provides strategic grants to multiple organizations that work to rescue child victims of human trafficking.
Donate today at our team’s Dressember Advocacy Page to help rescue these children.
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