Human Trafficking in [Bahrain] [other countries]
Street Children in [Bahrain] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Bahrain] [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Kingdom of Bahrain [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Kingdom of Bahrain [map], an archipelago located in the Persian Gulf, consists of two main islands, Bahrain and Al Muharraq, connected by a causeway. The capital and chief port is Al Manamah, on Bahrain. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. In September 2004 Bahrain signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States - the first such agreement undertaken by a Gulf state.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Bahrain. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false. No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

Quick Search for Missing Children - Select Gender, Country (Bahrain), and Years Missing

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

CHILD LABOR LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT - Prostitution is illegal under the Penal Code, and the forced prostitution of a child younger than 18 years of age is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

CHILDREN - Child prostitution is illegal and there were no reported cases during the year.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2002

[49] The Committee recommends that the State party ratify the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

Crime and Society - A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World

CHILDREN - In the past, the authorities reportedly returned children arrested for prostitution and other nonpolitical crimes to their families rather than prosecute them, especially for first offenses. There were no reports of child prostitution during the year.

Legislation Of Interpol Member States On Sexual Offences Against Children - Bahrain

IV. CHILD PROSTITUTION - Encouraging male or female under 18 years of age to enter prostitution is punishable by 5 years of imprisonment maximum. Forcing or enticing male or female under 18 years of age into prostitution is punishable by imprisonment from 3 up to 10 years.

Bahrain Brief

SHURA COUNCIL SUPPORTS BAHRAINI PARTICIPATION IN CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS - Child prostitution and pornography are serious problems in all parts of the world, and Bahrain is participating in a global campaign to combat these phenomena. In addition, the country is supporting an international drive to prevent children from being recruited for armed combat. Members of the Shura Council have voiced their support for two United Nations protocols on these issues: one calls for an active campaign against child trafficking, child prostitution and the use of children in pornography, while the other calls for a ban on the recruitment of children into military forces.

5.1 Middle East - State of CSEC/ Attitudes toward CSEC [PDF]

In the wealthy oil producing states, (e.g. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman etc), foreigners are often the unfortunate victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The financial ability to contribute to CSEC, the lack of legal protection measures for foreign children, and the low status of foreigners in society, contributes to CSEC. Additionally, the high numbers of male foreign workers in these countries create a large demand for prostitution.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children - Middle East/North Africa region

These countries also have in common, however, a number of constraints that have hindered preparation of national plans of action. In all the countries of the region, there is cultural resistance to addressing the problem because the subject is largely taboo. Often the issue is dealt with more generally under headings such as ‘violence’ and ‘trauma’. This means that there has been no regional consensus on defining CSEC in law; in some countries, for example, it is looked upon as an indecent act, in others as rape, although in all 20 countries there is some section of the penal code that can be invoked against sexual abuse and exploitation.

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Human Trafficking in [Bahrain] [other countries]
Street Children in [Bahrain] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Bahrain] [other countries]