World Needs To Do More For Thousands Of Migrant Children Who've Disappeared: Nobel Laureate
Figures show "we are on the right track, but we are not still on the fast track."
Alex Whiting
ISTANBUL, May 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The world must give urgent attention to children caught up in conflict, disasters or exploitation, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi said on Monday, and leave no child behind.
Children make up about half of the rising numbers of people affected by war and natural disasters, and there are many more who are caught up in forced labour or slavery, Satyarthi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Advertisement
"If you save one generation, then that generation would be capable to protect all generations to come. So invest in this generation now with a sense of urgency," Satyarthi said on the sidelines of the first ever World Humanitarian Summit.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called the two-day summit in Istanbul, has said the world is facing its worst humanitarian situation since World War Two.
About 130 million people are affected by war or natural disasters, and some 60 million have been forced to flee their homes.
Advertisement
Traffickers are preying on the rising number of children displaced by crises, Satyarthi said. Children who are hungry, have dropped out of school, are labourers or have been forced into child marriage also need attention, Satyarthi said.
"We cannot leave any child behind."
MAJOR PROGRESS
Satyarthi, awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, said he has seen great progress in child rights in recent years.
"Today so many people at the highest level are talking about children and education. That was not the case even five years ago."
When Satyarthi began working on child trafficking 36 years ago, U.N. agencies had no programmes to deal with the issue, because then people thought slavery did not exist, he said.
Progress has not only been made in terms of attitudes but also results, he added.
The number of child labourers globally has dropped from almost 260 million in 2000 to 168 million now, he said. The number of children out of school has more than halved in that time.
Advertisement
"Concrete progress has been made. That shows that we are on the right track, but we are not still on the fast track," he said.
For that, governments and aid agencies have to invest more in children.
At the moment, several U.N. agencies are involved in different aspects of one child's welfare - for education, health, nutrition, protection from trafficking or labour. They need to coordinate more closely, he said.
The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul is the first time Satyarthi has seen agencies working more closely together.
"They are talking in one tongue here at the summit."
SHOCKED BY EUROPE
Satyarthi said he had been shocked at EU police reports earlier this year that some 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children who had fled to Europe had disappeared, many of them believed to have fallen into the hands of traffickers.
Advertisement
"How could it be possible in countries like Germany or Italy where very simple technology of camera surveillance can protect people in the camps and other places?"
Once they have disappeared it may be too late, he said, because it is so difficult to trace them, adding that investing in child protection is much less costly than trying to find children once they have fallen into the hands of traffickers.
Although the sudden influx of migrants into Europe meant it was hard to respond properly, the protection of children in the camps needed to be addressed, he said. (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Ros Russell.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Inspiring Reactions to The Migrant And Refugee Crisis
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.