India, What the Heck?

As countries like India and China rise in their global status and economic power, I wonder if the increased visibility will force them to clean up their act and see that their children are protected.

This headline last week was a harsh reminder of what goes on...

"The father of Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali, 9, is accused of trying to sell his daughter for $300,000 to a sheik."

Although I read this in a Hollywood gossip magazine -- and many might question the accuracy of the reporting -- I did appreciate that a pop magazine brought attention to the fact that the selling of daughters is not an uncommon practice in India.

Girls are trafficked in India for sexual exploitation, domestic labor, drug peddling, begging, adoption and marriage. Some say the price of the girl depends on the color of her eyes and her skin, and a virgin girl goes for a lot higher price. It can seem like a world away, but for some, it is quite close.

Last weekend in the New York Times Magazine column The Ethicist a reader submitted a query about whether he should give money, food or neither to the beggar children in India on his upcoming trip. The reader was concerned that exploitative adults might take the money.

If you saw the film Slumdog Millionaire then you probably remember the child trafficker who tricked the children into thinking they were going to get a promotion. When they arrived for their good news, the surprise turned out to be a cupful of acid poured into the child's eyes to purposefully blind him or her to make their begging more poignant and profitable.

Records show that maiming a child is just another scam put on by these child overlords to get more money into their pockets.

I have seen these children. They have come up to me with their white milky eyes on the streets of Delhi and have knocked their stumps on my taxi window as I sat devastated staring back at them. It is all quite tragic to think about.

So why am I writing and telling about all of these horrifying things?

I write about this because I feel that the more it is reported and the more we talk about it, the more accountable the countries responsible for it become.

I am by no means saying that our own country, the US, is a grand model for human rights. I'm not wagging my finger. But in my opinion there is a level of global inhumanity that has been going on for far too long and perhaps we have reached a tipping point.

Admittedly, I may just be naïve to think that talking about issues can solve them. But in my heart of hearts I do believe this. With transparency, comes accountability, comes responsibility, comes change.

Your thoughts?

Comments

[Hillary Rubin - Huffpost Blogger]

Tabby,

Yes I agree it bigger than one girl and perhaps her being in the spotlight will open the eyes to the world to see that there is more work to do.

Are there any watch groups in India to help with this??? Love to hear more of what you find out there.

Cheers,
Hillary

[Tabby Biddle - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Hillary.

There are some watch groups out there keeping an eye on what's going on -- Human Rights Watch, Asia Watch, the United Nations, UNICEF, Amnesty International, and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women -- are the ones I know of. I think though it's going to take a huge crackdown legally along with a mass re-education on the treatment of women -- particularly in poorer countries. The poorest of poor make money off of selling their daughters. In my opinion it starts with poverty and a long history of it being "okay" to sell or prostitute women. Some women are so desperate to leave their impoverished situation that they are easily tricked into thinking they are going somewhere where they will have a better life. All in all, it is going to take a global legal crackdown from the United Nations level as well as re-education and legal crackdown at the local roots.

I'll let you know more as I learn about it.

Thanks Hillary for asking a great and important question. There is much work to be done here.

Enjoy your weekend,
Tabby