Human Trafficking in [Fiji] [other countries]Street Children in [Fiji] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Fiji] [other countries] |
Child Prostitution The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of
Children Republic of the Fiji Islands [ Country-by-Country
Reports ] The Republic of the Fiji Islands [map]
is made up of a Melanesian island group comprising some 7,000 sq mi (18,130
sq km) located in the South Pacific.
Suva is its capital. Fiji,
endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most
developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large
subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from Fijians working abroad,
and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually -
are the major sources of foreign exchange. |
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CAUTION: The following links and
accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation
in Fiji. 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. U.S. Dept
of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs [PDF] CHILD LABOR LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT – The Constitution prohibits
forced labor, and the Penal Code prohibits the sale or hiring of minors less
than 16 years of age for prostitution. Bur of Democracy,
Human Rights & Labor - Country
Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006 CHILDREN - Multiple reports suggested that
child prostitution increased during the year. Child prostitution was evident
in poverty-stricken urban areas and among homeless urban youth. Urban
migration and the subsequent breakdown of community structures, children from
outer islands living with relatives while attending high school, and
homelessness all appeared to be factors that increased a child's chance of
being exploited for commercial sex. Increasing urbanization led to
more children working as casual laborers, often with no safeguards against
abuse or injury. When
child labour is not legal Some of the worst forms of child labour globally are drug trafficking, pornography and
child prostitution. Fiji is one of the
countries where child labour has existed and one of
the worst forms of child labour here is child
prostitution, which is not to a great extent, but it does exist. Until such time, we do not have
concrete statistics but some of the worst forms of child labour
exists here like child prostitution. In the child committee meeting, even the
police force also recognised that there are some
child prostitutes and sometimes children are seen to be carrying drugs. It has also been reported that children are
used for pornographic purposes, so these are the worst forms of child labour and sometimes you hear of reports that these sort of things exist. There are some cases in Fiji. Pacific
Island children risk sex abuse Children in Pacific Island
countries are at high risk of being traded for sex by family members and
friends, a United Nations study has found, Stuff NZ
reports. The report from studies in
five Pacific Island countries found an alarming degree of sexual abuse and
sexual exploitation of children and that "children are most at risk in
their homes and communities and with people they know and trust". The report, by the UN Children's
Fund Pacific, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and
End Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for
Sexual Purposes, is based on studies in 2004 and 2005 in Fiji, Kiribati,
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The report in its summary said the
five studies confirmed that in each country children were sexually abused by
family members and neighbours, and that child
prostitution, child pornography, early marriage, child sex tourism and
trafficking occurred. The
Commercial Sexual Exploitation And Sexual Abuse Of Children In Fiji [PDF] [3.1.1] TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN - There is a general consensus across communities and amongst NGOs
working on these issues, that the general age of
those involved in prostitution is decreasing. The observations of the
research team on the streets and in the nightclubs of Suva and Savusavu, and from media reports and anecdotal evidence
support this view. There is also a general consensus that while girls are the
predominant group involved in prostitution an increasing number of boys are
becoming involved too. A local Magistrate when interviewed stated that in the
last two years there has been a gradual increase in the number of cases
involving young boys working as prostitutes come through the courts. The Protection Project - Fiji [DOC] FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRAFFICKING INFRASTRUCTURE – Pacific Island children may be
particularly vulnerable targets for child sex tourists. As the South Pacific
emerges as a huge tourist destination, and as police crack down on sex
tourists, both in their home countries (such as Australia) and in the more
popular destination countries in Asia, there is growing concern that child
sex tourism and associated activities are on the increase in the region. FORMS OF TRAFFICKING - As recently as late December 2003, Fiji police expressed
concern over the increasing number of girls who were “choosing prostitution
as a career.” Girls ranging in age from 13 to their mid-20s can be seen
working on the streets ECPAT:
Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC] [B] COUNTRY UPDATES – FIJI – Fiji
has not developed a national plan of action due to the political crisis and a
lack of funds. A committee has been set up to coordinate actions dealing with
childcare policy. The Fiji Council of Social Services has done work in the
areas of prevention and child participation; however, it is not known whether
this is CSEC specific. Another
Aspect of the Sodomy Case The Fiji Human Rights Commission
believes that a clear signal should be given to foreign visitors and local
people that authorities, including courts in Fiji ,
do not take kindly to sexual exploitation of Fiji citizens. Some years ago, a case of sexual
exploitation of children in Fiji was in the limelight. The infamous Mark Mutch case involved an expatriate in Fiji who sexually
exploited vulnerable children by producing pornographic materials. Mutch was charged with rape and indecent assault on
children of a young age. He first assisted them by paying their school fees
and also supporting their families financially, thus gaining their trust and
confidence. In the trial during the Mark Mutch case, the judge said "let the message be very
clear to people like Mutch that any kind of sexual
exploitation of children will not be tolerated in the Republic of the Fiji Islands ." A similar disapproval should attach to
commercial sex trafficking generally. What
Makes Children Vulnerable to Sexual Exploitation? CONSUMERISM - In many developed countries
young people are being pushed into prostitution, not as members of the
underclass trying to escape grinding poverty but as members of the middle
class who desire greater disposable income. They enter the sex trade because
they are overwhelmed by the prospect of earning a lot of money quickly. They
are enticed by peer pressure or powerful advertising, as well as the value
that society places on expensive brand name products or luxury goods and
services. In Fiji, for example, there are
reports of increased numbers of children prostituting themselves around
Christmas to earn money for gifts. Statistical Dimension of Sexual Exploitation of Children http://www.indianngos.com/issue/child/sexual/statistics/statistics17.htm There are reports of parents
offering the sexual services of their own children for money to sailors from
Korea and Taiwan who come to Fiji for refuelling.
(UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child
Pornography, Report on Fiji, 27 December 1999) Boys and girls in Fiji become
involved in prostitution because of poverty, boredom, desire to earn money
for extra spending, demand by tourists and lack of enforcement of education.
(UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child
Pornography, Report on Fiji, 27 December 1999) Child prostitution is happening in
urban centres, says Adi Vulase of Safetynet Care Fiji,
a non-profit organisation that looks into the
welfare of homeless children. ("Fiji Kids in Sex Trade", Fiji Times,
29 October 1999, reprinted in Pacific Islands Report) Thematic
Reports - Mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights The report concludes that, on the
basis of information received, children in Fiji are subject to exploitation
through both prostitution and pornography. The indicators pointing to such
practices are: (a) the escalating number of street children; (b) drug, alcohol
and substance abuse by children; (c) sexual violence, including incest,
suffered by children; and (d) a dependency upon tourism, the negative effects
of which do not appear to have been taken into consideration by the
government. [PAGE 40] THE
SCOPE AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM IN THE EAP REGION - Although smaller in scale, the
commercial sexual exploitation of children also appears to be escalating in
the Pacific Islands, in particular in Fiji and the Solomon Islands, which are
becoming major destinations for child sex tourism, especially for
Australians. All material used herein
reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC §
107 for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use |
Human Trafficking in [Fiji] [other countries]Street Children in [Fiji] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Fiji] [other countries]