Exhibit and lecture on human trafficking of children
Human Trafficking has become a global problem that rarely ends in convictions because victims are reluctant to go before the courts. Today the Embassy of Mexico hosted “A Day for the Rights of the Child,” in Belize and Corozal Districts to highlight the plight of vulnerable groups such as children who are trafficked. In Belize City, a specialist from the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico held a lecture with the public on human trafficking and Child Exploitation along with a photo exhibit called Human Rights Through Your Eyes. According to Doctor Emilio Maus, the exhibit and the lecture focus on human trafficking of children.
Dr. Emilio Maus, National Human Rights Commission of Mexico
“Human Trafficking is a problem worldwide. It is very important that every country tries to adapt measures in order to fight this crime.”
Jose Sanchez
“Your presentation; what are the main points of your presentation today?”
Dr. Emilio Maus
Emilio Mau
“I’ll try to give points in order to prevent this problem and try to combat it from different sides. It is a very problematic and complicated problem. So, the solution also has to be external and has to involve many different aspects.”
Jose Sanchez
Is it something that you see a lot in México where you actually do your work?
Dr. Emilio Maus
“Actually, we have taken notice of different kinds of exploitation of children. Also, elderly people with children, we have an especially hard to see when children are being exploited sexually or labor exploitation of children. Both cases are really dramatic. So this is maybe one of the area we are trying to focus in our combat.”
Jose Sanchez
“So, for the focus of what you’re doing, you’re looking at legal means of how to combat it or there are more?”
Dr. Emilio Maus
“Well that’s part of the solution, try to adapt statutes that help prevent or help fight the problem but also that these statues are followed—that people follow the law and apply the law. On the other hand, we have structural causes of problem: for example; family malfunction or dysfunctionality which sometimes also influences the fact that a child is being exposed to exploitation—labor exploitation or sexual exploitation.”
Jose Sanchez
“Do we have an approximate figure of how many children are victims of human trafficking every year?”
Dr. Emilio Maus
“There is an estimate from UNICEF saying that about two million children are actually being submitted to some kind of sexual exploitation and labor exploitation.”
Up north, a puppet theatre show as well as a film and debate were held as part of the day of activities.
