UCMUN 2013 United Nations International Children’s Fund Committee
Introductory Letter
Hello delegates!
My name is Shaelle Etienne and I am a senior at the University of Connecticut. This May I
will be graduating with a Political Science major, and Human Rights and French minors. In addition
to being part of UCONN’s Model UN, I am an intern for Love146 a non-profit organization that
combats child trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation, and hope to work for them upon
graduation.
My nine year old brother is my favorite person to hang out with and I am part of UCONN’s
Big Brothers Big Sisters program, so, as you can tell, I love children. That is why I chose to be the
Director of the UNICEF committee this year, and am thrilled to moderate your debate about two
very pressing child rights issues. That being said, there is an endless supply of information out there
and it can be overwhelming when conducting research so do not hesitate to contact me with any
questions (even if you think they are not worth asking) about either topic. See you November 15th!
Shaelle Etienne
UCMUN 2013 UNICEF Committee Director
Shaelle.Etienne@uconn.edu
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UCMUN 2013 United Nations International Children’s Fund Committee
Committee History
Committee History
UNICEF was originally created in December of 1946 by the United Nations to provide
food, clothing and healthcare to European children who faced famine and disease after WWII.
UNICEF became a permanent member of the UN in 1953, and, since then, has also recognized
education as a primary goal. In 1990, the Convention of the Rights of the Child was adopted by the
UN General Assembly, and was the most widely- and rapidly-accepted human rights treaty in
history. UNICEF has won a Nobel Peace prize, and has had the “Say Yes to the Children”
campaign, along with powerful debates. For these reasons and many more, today UNICEF is a
household name and the first organization people think of when addressing child issues.
That being said, UNICEF still has many issues to tackle, such as the two we will be debating:
child trafficking and street children. As you all are aware, there are a substantial number of children
in need of food, clothing, healthcare and or education. UNICEF faces many obstacles, such as
uncooperative governments, that stifle our efforts. We do, however, have the “global authority to
influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative
ideas into reality” (UNICEF). That is why I ask that you take debate very seriously so that you can
come up with resolutions that do just that! Refer to the UNICEF website and publications for past
resolutions and, again, do not hesitate to email me with any questions you may have.
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Committee Simulation
Committee Simulation
The Role of the Delegates
One of the most difficult and fun things to do during the debate is to remember to
accurately represent your assigned country. You are representing the views of real countries and
therefore must imitate them. Another thing that is also necessary and makes sticking to your
country a lot easier is by grouping yourself with other countries that have similar views or “blocs.”
See the background guides for more help on bloc positions.
In order to properly represent your country, thorough research must done on your part.
Although we have a learning lab and great topic specialists who will present for us on each topic as a
whole, doing research on your country prior to the conference is required to conduct a meaningful
and productive debate. The debate must follow UCONN Model UN parliamentary procedure,
which is comprised of both formal and informal debate. You will be taught this procedure before
hand and will become pros at it with practice at the conference!
Formal debate will include both a speaker’s list and moderated caucuses. Countries wishing
to participate in debate will raise their placard at the opening of the speaker’s list and in between
speakers. If the country so wishes, they may pass a note to the Dias indicating their wish to speak.
During moderated caucuses, countries may raise their placards to speak for the allotted speaking
time set at the beginning of the caucus.
Informal debate will be conducted through unmoderated caucuses. At this time, the
committee will recess for a brief amount of time and delegates will be able to freely discuss debate
topics.
The Role of the Dias
The Dais is comprised of the Director and Assistant Director(s). The purpose of the Dais is
to encourage participation and to moderate, and set the rules of, debate.
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
Introduction
According to the “Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children” (2000), child trafficking is the “recruitment, transportation,
transfer, harbouring or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation”. It is a violation of their
rights, their well-being and denies children the opportunity to reach their full potentials.
For almost 70 years now, UNICEF has been dedicated to eliminating child trafficking across
the world. It is common to assume that child trafficking only occurs in southern (non developed),
corrupt countries. However, this assumption is inaccurate. Child trafficking occurs in every country;
whether they are illegally exporting, or importing, the children. The issue at hand is not determining
whether child trafficking is an acceptable activity. Our main goals are to: 1. Expose child trafficking
and 2. Eliminate it with resolutions evolved through debate. Unlike Topic B: Street Children, child
trafficking is extremely difficult to keep track of and thus difficult to eliminate. It is often the case
that UNICEF and other organizations are challenged with the question of how to reveal child
trafficking. This difficulty is mainly because the primary purpose of child trafficking is for sexual
exploitation, and oftentimes parents take place in the trafficking of their children. Another
disheartening issue is that many children who were formerly trafficked grow up only to aid in the
trafficking of other children, creating an endless cycle. You, the delegates, will be required to
understand the role that your country has in child trafficking, what actions against child trafficking
your country has already taken. What challenges does your country face in its attempts to eliminate
child labor and what UNICEF can do to aid your country, or countries where child trafficking may
be more prevalent. However, to do this, you need not only understand child trafficking, but its
source.
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
Topic History
Do not let the politically correct term fool you. Child trafficking is slavery. Although efforts
towards ending child trafficking have increased, unfortunately so has the act. According to Every
Child Counts, New Global estimate on Child Labour, approximately 1.2 million boys and girls are
trafficked each year. Worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children. However, in
some parts of Africa and the Mekong region, children are the majority (up to 100% in parts of West
Africa) (UNODC, 2009). “Child victims of trafficking are often exploited for sexual purposes or
forced labor including prostitution, pornography, sex tourism, forced marriage, sweatshop work,
begging, armed service, and migrant farming (UNICEF end trafficking toolkit).” Although the
numbers given previously are large, it is difficult for the ILO, UNODC and other organizations to
be accurate in the number of children being trafficked because it is such a secretive crime that can be
done in multiple ways: internally, across national borders, and across continents. Therefore, it can
be inferred that the estimated range is greater than what is assumed.
“A disproportionate number of women are involved in human trafficking, not only as
victims (which we knew), but also as traffickers (first documented here). Female offenders have a
more prominent role in present-day slavery than in most other forms of crime” (UNODC). Because
many of theses women were previously trafficked when they were children, UNICEF, and other
Organizations and Governments, have had difficulty deciding on what punishment methods should
be implemented. Prosecution and sanctions are two methods that typically used. However, there is
little evidence that either method has any significant impact on aggregate levels of trafficking
(Feingold). Take, for example, the United States. Although this country has well trained law
enforcement and prosecutorial system, they were only able to award T-visas (the special visas given
to victims in return for cooperation with federal prosecutors) to 500 out of 200,000 victims. What’s
more, only seventy-seven traffickers were then convicted or plead guilty” (Feingold). Such a small
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
assortment of convictions will have little, to no, effect on trafficking as a whole. Furthermore, this
method is an inefficient use of the United States’ time and resources.
“Most legislative frameworks on trafficking in persons have been developed only within the
last few years.” The reason being that more countries have identified the necessity in working
together to combat trafficking. The “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, especially Women and Children”, created in 2000, shows a collective view on trafficking
through the declaration of what trafficking is, and methods of its suppression. That being said,
the United Nations Protocol against Trafficking in Persons” - the foremost international
agreement in this area - entered into force in 2003. The Report shows that in the past few
years the number of Member States seriously implementing the Protocol has more than
doubled (from 54 to 125 out of the 155 States covered). However, there are still many
countries that lack the necessary legal instruments or political will (UNODC)
Even countries with the proper legal instruments, like the U.S., have difficulty implementing the
Protocol, therefore developing countries, for instance, Haiti, have an even more difficult time with
its implementation.
Current Status
Child trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation
According to the UNODC Trafficking Report, the most common form of human
trafficking (79%), is sexual exploitation. The victims of this act are predominantly female however,
it is difficult to determine an accurate boy-to-girl victim ratio, because there are fewer reported cases
of boys being sexual exploited. Sexual Exploitation of children is considered one of the worst forms
of child labor because the children are often treated as criminals. “As defined in the Declaration of
the First World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm in
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
1996, commercial sexual exploitation of children is sexual abuse by an adult accompanied by
remuneration in cash or in kind to the child or third person(s)” (Child Protection Information
Sheets).
Child Marriage is also a gateway to sexual exploitation. Once a child is married, it is very
difficult to escape from sexual exploitation because they (both boys and girls) experience “separation
from family and friends, lack of freedom to interact with peers and participate in community
activities, and decreased opportunities for education (Child Protection Information Sheets). It is for
this reason that UNICEF emphasizes the importance of government commitment in monitoring
sexual traffickers. Furthermore, because sexual exploitation is a global issue, coordination between
countries is also key to protecting children most vulnerable to this specific type of trafficking.
Child Trafficking: Forced Labor
Forced Labor is reported by UNODC to make up 18% of human trafficking (this number
may be due to lack of reports). In a lot of forced labor cases, families who have children, but
cannot support them, give them to related, or unrelated, adults, who promise education and
opportunity, while asking in return for aid around the home. Unfortunately, in the majority of these
cases, the children are instead delivered into slavery for money (Futures without violence). Many
large industries take advantage of the children’s vulnerable states, and employ them for little, if any,
money. The types of jobs the children participate in are usually life threatening and require long,
strenuous hours of work.
“Conventional approaches to dealing with forced or bonded labor usually focus on
compliance, in line with international conventions (i.e., ILO Conventions 29, 39, 105 and 182).
These approaches seek to have exploitative industries comply with the law simply by releasing
victims or offering financial compensation” (Trafficking in Persons Report, 2006). However,
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…approaches to combating forced labor that rely on labor standards can be weak in
punishing the employers responsible for this form of trafficking. Forced labor must
be punished as a crime, through vigorous prosecutions. While most countries in the
world have criminalized forced labor, they do little to prosecute offenders, in part due
to the lack of awareness of forced labor issues among law enforcement officials. As
well, female victims of forced or bonded labor, especially women and girls in
domestic servitude, are often sexually abused (Trafficking in Persons Report).
Due to the fact that reports of forced labor are significantly less frequent than those of sexual
exploitation, organizations and governments have disproportionately focused their attention towards
combating sexual exploitation, which makes it easier for forced labor traffickers to continue their
acts. However, over the next year, the United States’ Department of State, as directed by Congress,
has stated their intentions to continue focusing more attention on forced labor and bonded labor,
while maintaining their campaign against sex trafficking (Trafficking in Persons Report). Countries
in similar situations with the US must find ways in which they can do the same.
Burma (A Case Study)
Burma (also known as
Myanmar) is a sovereign state in
Southeast Asia, that has been under
military control since 1962. Since then,
the military has ceased more control
over the Burmese government and
people. Subsequently The United Nations, and other organizations, have been consistently reporting
Human Rights violations. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that “Burma’s military regime is
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
the main perpetrator of human trafficking abuses both within the country and abroad” (Human
Trafficking Burma). In addition to the military regime, lack of job opportunities and the presence of
higher incomes in neighboring countries have significantly contributed to trafficking in Burma
(Human Trafficking Burma).
Trafficking within Burma is a significant problem because, for years military and civilian
officials have used children for “forced labor for the development of infrastructure and state-run
agricultural and commercial ventures, as well as forced portering for the military” (Human
Trafficking Burma). It is estimated that thousands of children, especially boys, as young as 11 are
being forced by the Burmese military to serve as desertions of men in the army. It is the children
who live in areas with the highest military presence (typically ethnic groups in remote border areas)
who are most at risk. In addition, traffickers looking to export children, typically for sex purposes,
lure children to other countries, like Thailand, by making false promises, thus taking advantage of a
child’s vulnerable and gullible mindset.
The Burmese government has attempted to address the problem of trafficking by restricting
international travel for women, particularly those less than 25 years of age (Human Trafficking
Burma). However, these restrictions could drive people seeking to leave the country into the hands
of “travel facilitators,” who may have ties with traffickers. Furthermore, due to the authorities’
refusal to recognize members of certain ethnic minority groups (including the Rohingyas) as citizens
and provide them with identification documentation, these groups are more vulnerable to trafficking
(Human Trafficking Burma). In addition to the two flaws stated above, by the Burmese government
only putting restriction on traveling of young women, they allow more access to the trafficking of
young men. The government also fails to clamp down on the main perpetrators of Burmese
trafficking, the military, causing them to be ranked as the number one offender on the U.S.
Government’s 2011 Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list in the 2011 TIP Report.
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
The 2005 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law criminalizes sex and labor trafficking in Burma
however the penalties are far too lenient for a lifetime of harm to a child. The penalty for trafficking
women, children, and youth is 10 years to life while the penalty for trafficking men is five to 10 years
again showing a gender bias. The penalty for serious crime involving trafficking is 10 years to life of
death , however, the government has failed to demonstrate apparent progress in investigating,
prosecuting, and convicting perpetrators of internal trafficking (particularly the military). Thus
making there trafficking law insignificant.
Bloc Positions
The US Department of State accord countries different ranks in their 2011 TIP Report
based mainly on the effectiveness of governmental action against trafficking, though also taking into
account the pervasiveness of child trafficking in the country. Countries may land in one of three
allotted tiers. This report was conducted in order to gain an understanding of governments’
compliances with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards for the
elimination of human trafficking. Our bloc positions will deal mainly with the Tiers countries find
themselves in. You can find a comprehensive list of country ranks on the Department of State’s
website: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/164228.html.
Tier 3 countries
Tier 3 is the lowest ranking when it comes to government acknowledgement of human
trafficking. Countries that fall into this category are: Burma, Central African Republic, Congo,
Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Kuwait, Libya Madagascar, North Korea, Papua New
Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
Governments of the countries that are placed in Tier 3 may be subject to sanctions enforced
by the United States. These sanctions deal mainly with the potential withdrawal of aid or non-trade
related assistance. Also “Consistent with the TVPA, governments subject to sanctions would also
face U.S. opposition to assistance (except for humanitarian, trade-related, and certain developmentrelated assistance) from international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the World Bank” (Trafficking in Persons Report).
Countries who fall into the Tier 3 category have difficulty complying with TVPA’s minimum
standards for many reasons. Some governments in Tier 3, like Burma for example, have to combat
a more dominating force in the country like the military, that engages in trafficking, making it
difficult to take significant action towards its eradication. There are also government economies that
profit from forced child labor and it is considered a norm! Governments like North Korea that are
Tier 3 as well are the main perpetrators of trafficking, and refuse to admit their involvement. The
main obstacle facing Tier Three countries in the implementation or enforcement of anti-child
trafficking regulation is the reality that many of these countries are too poor to go without the child
trafficking industry; though illegal, it contributes to their economy, and they will be all the more
reluctant to make significant strides.
Tier 2
Tier two countries are in a sort of limbo between the other Tiers. Though they have made
attempted strides at the eradication of child trafficking, they have not been completely successful.
The main qualification for this Tier is the demonstration of significant efforts to comply with the
guidelines. There is also a Tier Two watch list, the specifications for which are enumerated below:
a) The absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is
significantly increasing;
b) There is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
trafficking in persons from the previous year; or
c) The determination that a country is making significant efforts to bring itself into
compliance with minimum standards was based on commitments by the country to take
additional future steps over the next year.
The obstacles facing Tier Two countries may be more reluctant government enforcement,
contention with existing trafficking organizations.
United States (and Tier 1 countries)
The United States government fully complies with the TVPA’s minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking, Tier One. However, that does not mean that they, and other Tier 1
countries, do not have a human trafficking problem. The United States is principally a transit and
destination country for trafficking in persons with an estimated 14,500-17,500 people (primarily
women and children) trafficked annually (Human Trafficking USA). The U.S.’ national strategy is to
prosecute traffickers and assisting persons but, as stated above, that is not the most effective
strategy. A problem that the US government struggles with is that a lot of trafficking, occurs in
plain sight. So Congress has passed many pieces of legislation mandating stronger protection for
victims, which aids federal agencies in remaining active on the issue.
“Internationally, the U.S. has initiated many anti-trafficking and development programs to
assist countries to combat this ever-growing phenomenon” (Human Trafficking USA). Although the
U.S. has its own problems addressing trafficking, it being such a dominating force internationally is
important and definitely is the reason why the. By the United States staying active on the problem at
hand, they are influencing other countries in all Tiers to stay active on the matter, whether
voluntarily or through alternate motivation (opposition to trade related assistance).
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
What is important to understand is that no tier ranking is permanent, therefore, UNICEF
and other organizations can aid governments increase efforts to combat trafficking .
Committee Mission
“UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish
children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards
children (UNICEF mission statement).” In attempts to achieve this mission, UNICEF has come up
with different ways in which to combat child trafficking. One way is through the open participation
of societies. By involving the public, UNICEF has started an international dialog that can educate
the populace of both the source, and dangers of, trafficking. Today, access to information is at the
fingertips of the average person and, by making people aware that child slavery is occurring in their
country, as well as foreign ones, they can prevent it. UNICEF also understands that, despite the
protocol being very alive on paper, it is essentially a paper tiger. Meaning that, although a country
may have signed the protocol, they may not be enforcing it (which is a very common issue that
accompanies international legislation). Therefore, UNICEF has aided not just states, but grassroots
organizations and local people, in creating effective monitoring and oversight mechanisms to collect
reliable data and information on trafficking. These activities can be especially effective when
community-based. Once accurate information has been collected, procedures should be in place for
sharing and analysis at the international level (Child Protection Information Sheets). In addition to
this, “UNICEF is part of the United nations inter-Agency Project on human trafficking in the
greater Mekong sub-region, established in June 2000 to facilitate a stronger and more coordinated
response to human trafficking in Cambodia, China, Lao People’s democratic republic, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam” (Child Protection Information Sheets)
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
UNICEF has made significant strides in the eradication of child trafficking, yet the problem
persists. You job, as delegates, is to delve further into your countries’ positions, and to better
understand the issues with existing solutions. If what UNICEF has already done was sufficient, then
child trafficking would no longer be an issue. This, however, is not the case. Keep this in mind as
you try to understand the why this is the case, and what the committee can do to fill in the gaps left
by past legislation.
Research Questions
1
What methods have been effective and ineffective towards the eradication of child
trafficking?
2
In ways, can UNICEF eradicate child trafficking in countries like Burma whose military
regime contributes to trafficking?
3
What indirect methods can UNICEF eradicate child trafficking? (think: improved education,
food, health care).
4
How can Tier 3 countries whose governments are essentially controlled by the military
obtain higher rankings while avoiding further conflict.
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Topic A: Child Trafficking
Works Cited
"Child Protection Information Sheets." UNICEF. UNICEF, May 2006. Web.
"End Trafficking Tool Kit." UNICEF United States Fund. UNICEF, Oct. 2012. Web.
Feingold, David A. "Human trafficking." Foreign Policy (2005): 26-32.
"Global Report on Trafficking in Persons." Global Report on Trafficking in Persons(2009): n. pag.
Http://www.unodc.org. UNODC. Web.
"HumanTrafficking.org | Burma." HumanTrafficking.org | Burma. HumanTrafficking.org, 2001-2006.
Web.
"HumanTrafficking.org | United States of America." HumanTrafficking.org | United States of America.
HumanTrafficking.org, 2001-2006. Web.
"News." Futures Without Violence: : 14 Nations Named Worst Human Trafficking Offenders. Futures
Without Violence, 24 Nov. 2008. Web.
Rafferty, Yvonne. "The impact of trafficking on children: psychological and social policy
perspectives." Child Development Perspectives 2.1 (2008): 13-18.
“Trafficking in Children." Trafficking in Children. ILO, 1996-2013. Web.
Treaty collection of signatures http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?mtdsg_no=XVIII12-a&chapter=18&lang=en
"Trafficking in Persons Report." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State: Office to
Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, 5 June 2006. Web.
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Topic B: Street Children
Introduction
Street Child: "a homeless or neglected child who lives chiefly in the streets" (Oxford Dictionary).
UNICEF and other organizations have found it especially difficult to define street children
without running into a common problem: overgeneralization. The term “street children” can be
very narrow. This can have both positive and negative effects on the child, because it provides them
with an identity and a sense of belonging, yet it labels and stigmatizes them. “It can include…
children who: are homeless; work on the streets but sleep at home; either do or do not have family
contact; work in open-air markets; live on the streets with their families; live in day or night shelters;
spend a lot of time in institutions” (Protecting Street Children). In addition to the definition of
street children, determining the exact amount of children growing up on streets is almost impossible!
UNICEF has estimated there to be 100 million street children. Although, that number has been
frequently questioned by academic reviews, “the magic 100 million remains common currency.”
Regardless, it is confirmed that there is, at minimum, tens of millions of street children worldwide.
For these reasons, along with others I address later on, developing resolutions to properly address
street children has been difficult for UNICEF. I ask you, the delegates, to use the research you have
done on your assigned countries to first develop a working definition for street children in order to
properly develop resolutions that could reduce the number of street children in the world. During
debate, I would like you to consider prior UN and UNICEF solutions to this ongoing problem.
Topic History
Who are street children?
“Whether or not they sleep on the street (in the widest sense of the word), street children construct
and reconstruct the meanings of their daily reality” (Enew & Cruger).
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Topic B: Street Children
The UNICEF community identifies certain things to be particularly essential to the
development of children. For instance, health care, food, shelter, and education are all imperative to
growth. Based off the definition above, street children are not guaranteed any factors we consider
essential for their growth. Instead, they are faced with challenging circumstances that threaten their
livelihood everyday. This includes, but is not limited to, poverty, disease, and violence.
The identities of street children vary from child to child. However, those most likely to
become street children share similar vulnerabilities. It is a common misconception that orphans
make up the majority of street children. No parents, therefore no home. This is the case in some
countries, however, orphans do not make up the entire population of street children. In fact, many
boys and girls leave home to work and live on the streets due to poverty, ruptured family links
(including neglect, violence and problems associated with ‘reconstructed families’), urbanization,
HIV/AIDS, natural disasters (example Hurricane Katrina, Earthquake in Haiti), and conflict.
In this background guide, I will detail the experiences of street children and the challenges
they face. In addition to providing you with prior legislation the UN has made in attempts to
provide every child with “equal protection around the world,” which should act as a springboard for
committee resolutions.
Developing a definition:
Panter-Brick identifies four core problems to the term “street children.” “First, it is a
generic term that obscures the heterogeneity in children's actual circumstances. Second, it does not
correspond to the ways many children relate their own experiences or to the reality of their
movements on and off the street. Third, it is imbued with pejorative or pitying connotations.
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Topic B: Street Children
Fourth, it deflects attention from the broader population of children affected by poverty and social
exclusion” (Panter-Brick).
I ask that you consider these four criticisms when creating an agreed upon definition for
street children. That being said, Please use this entire background guide and the sources you have
read to help you develop the best definition for this conference.
Gender Imbalance
Unlike Topic A, where we see a dominance of effected females, boys constitute the majority
of street children. According to Shulka, girls only represent between 3 and 30% of a country’s street
children anywhere in the world. “For example, in Albania there were 386 boys sentenced in 1998 but
only one girl”(Shulka). This low percentage of girls may be accounted for by their relative minority
presence on the streets in the first place (due to cultural and social factors). Another potential
contributor are the differences, in some countries, in the way girls are processed through the system
– for example in Pakistan it is reported that girls are more likely to be diverted from the system at
police stations and in general girls are less likely to be prosecuted or to be given a custodial sentence
than boys. Unfortunately, many girls who live on the street are often trafficked for commercial
sexual exploitation, sometimes by government officials and law enforcement. Unfortunately, this
has become socially accepted/ ignored (but not discussed) in many countries. Furthermore, many
of their customers are government officials and law enforcement (see topic A’s background guide
for more information). These factors contribute to the “growing implications for the treatment
experienced by both girls and boys in the system as well as for interventions aimed at reform”
(Wernham).
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Topic B: Street Children
Vulnerabilities
In current welfare literatures, street children are a category of “children at risk,” or in
UNICEF terms “children in especially difficult circumstances (CEDC).” “In public health, risk
factors are variables that predispose an individual to ill-health” (Panter- Brick). Poverty, family
dysfunction, ethnicity, gender, age, education (lack there of), disability, work experience, and stability
of residence are some of the risk factors or vulnerabilities that street children face. For the sake of
this background guide, I will focus on poverty as a catalyst for every other factor.
Poverty is something that makes all children vulnerable to living on the street. Many children
are forced to leave their home and live on the streets to make survival money; some return home,
others remain on the street. Regardless, the money that is made during a day is not significant
enough to change their financial status, forcing them to return day after day. Typically, street
children are found in urban areas where there is a large population concentrated in a certain area.
This makes access to customers, food, and drugs easily accessible. Poverty affects a child's financial
well being, but also their physical and mental health as well. The poor sanitation and living
conditions make street children susceptible to sickness and disease; many of which can be life
threatening. For instance, children who are often trafficked contract sexually transmitted illnesses
like HIV/AIDS. In addition to this, street children often never get a chance to get an education that
is typically the only way they are able to break free from their current situation. Essentially poverty
forces many of the street children to lose their innocence. As these children grow up and get
frustrated with their living conditions and lack of help, they turn to other things, often self-harming
things, to cope.
An existing issue is the tendency of street children to turn to gangs in order to feel a sense of
social inclusion that has been evading them. Since many street children are forced to be independent
at a young age, they gravitate towards others who are in the same situation. Another coping method
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street children are involved in is substance abuse. “As reported in 2001, offences in Brazil involving
adolescents with drugs make up about 70% of all offences” (Wernham). This only worsens a child's
problems, as they then become defined as “criminal,” leading to young people overpopulating
institutions.
Current Status
In many ways, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) that came into force in
1990 is the most important legal instrument in relation to juvenile justice because it is legally binding
on all countries (except Somalia and the U.S.). It is therefore more powerful and more widely
applicable than some of the other instruments. The most specific articles in relation to juvenile
justice are Articles 37 and 4015. What is groundbreaking about the CRC is the emphasis moved
significantly from highlighting the “needs” of vulnerable children to defending their “rights” as
citizens. Moreover, the CRC recognizes that promoting the best interests of children is not just a
matter of protecting and providing for them, but of listening to them and fostering child
participation. The UN states: “All children should be respected as fully-fledged members of society,
with the right to participate in decisions about their own futures, including in official proceedings
without discrimination of any kind” (Wernham).
The list below includes, but is not limited to, more legal instruments the UN has used in
attempts to aid children vulnerable to living on the streets.
-UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile delinquency: The Riyadh Guidelines
-UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Adminstration of Juvenile Justice: The ‘Beijing Rules’
-UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty: The JDLs
-UN Resolution 1997/30 – Adminstration of Jubenile Justice: The ‘Vienna Guildlines (1997)
-African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC)
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And yet, despite the many actions taken by the UN and other organizations, the number of
children who live on the street has increased.
Bloc Positions
There are three different categories that countries can fall under with respect to their
position on street children: 1. Countries who have and enforce legislation that protect children who
are vulnerable to living on the streets. 2. Countries who have but do not enforce legislation that
protect children who are vulnerable to living on the streets. 3. Countries who do not have legislation
to protect children who are vulnerable to living on the streets.
Category 1 (Populations with low percentages of street children)
Countries like the United States, and Canada have laws and specific programs in place that
prevent children from viewing the streets as their only escape from, abuse, neglect or homelessness.
Programs like “Foster Care” allow trained adults and community service leaders to make decisions
concerning shelter and food for children who are vulnerable to living on the streets in order to
preserve their innocence.
Although the countries in this specific category provide rather successful programs, there are
still many street children in these countries. For instance, it is estimated that there are 1 million
street children in the US. Delegates who fit into this category should aid the other two categories by
suggesting successful and unsuccessful methods the government and organizations in their countries
have done to prevent street children
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Category 2 (Populations with street children and legal action)
Countries like India appear to be making an effort to decrease their count of approximately
18 million street children. However, that is only on paper. For instance, the Ministry of Labour has
also included street children in their livelihood training programs but, in reality, they are not doing
enough to protect those children and get them out of their current situation. In fact, there have
been reports of police brutality and murders against street children there.
Category 3 (Populations with street children and low-none legal action)
Countries like Egypt are essentially the same as the countries in the second category,
however, along with their high percentage of street children, there is little to no legislation to
prohibit children from relying on the street to survive. Part of the reason why Egypt has such a
severe issue with street children is because their country is recovering and still participating in
revolts. When a country has multiple human rights issues to address, typically ones that involve
children take a backseat because their voices are not as easily heard.
Notice how the last two categories speak to the nature of the governments. They do not see
street children as an issue that needs immediate, focused attention.
Committee Mission
Eliminating “street children”, and the risk factors that make them vulnerable to living on the
streets, should be at the forefront of every government’s agenda. We must show governments that,
by eradicating street children, they will, in turn, have less crime and disease stricken citizens and
more working citizens contributing to their countries economy and image. We then must create
resolutions that will prove guarantee at minimum a decline in the number of street children. While
keeping in mind the precarious position this mission may have in the eyes of Category 3 and, to
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some extend, Category 2, countries, we must work towards an achievable resolution that contributes
to the eventual eradication of this unfortunate phenomena.
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Works Cited
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"Evaluation Database." UNICEF. N.p., 2002. Web. 08 Aug. 2013.
Glauser, Benno. "Street children: deconstructing a construct." Constructing and reconstructing childhood:
Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood (1990): 138-56.
Panter-Brick, Catherine. "STREET CHILDREN, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH: A
Critique and Future Directions." Annual Review of Anthropology31.1 (2002): 147-71. Print.
Protecting Street Children : Vigilantes or the Rule of Law? : Hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global
Human Rights, and International Operations of the Committee on International Relations, House of
Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, First Session, September 13, 2005. Washington: U.S.
G.P.O., 2006. Print.
Shukla, P. C, Ed. Street Children and the Asphalt Life. 3V. V1- Selection and Enumeration of Street Children
V2- Delinquent Street Childre V3- Street Children and the Future Direction. Delhi: Isha, 2005. Print
Thomas De Benitez, Sarah. "State of the World’s Street Children: Research." N.p., 2008. Web.
Thomas De Benitez, Sarah. "State of the World’s Street Children: Violence." N.p., 2008. Web.
Wernham, Marie. "An Outside Chance: Street Children and Juvenile Justice- An International
Perspective." Consortium for Street Children (2004): n. pag. Web
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