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

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Republic of Malawi [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Republic of Malawi [map] is located in E central Africa and is bordered by Zambia (W), Tanzania (N), and Mozambique (E, S & SW). Its capital is Lilongwe; and Blantyre is its largest city. Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. More than 65% of Malawi's population lives below the poverty line.

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UNICEF - The Big Picture

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

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Malawi is a source country for children trafficked regionally and internationally for menial labor or commercial sexual exploitation. There are also unconfirmed reports of small numbers of children trafficked internally to resort areas around Lake Malawi for sex tourism. In Malawi, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has left close to half a million children orphaned. Many of these children rely on informal work to supplement lost family income, and some work as caregivers for sick adults. The epidemic has also increased the demand for younger prostitutes who are perceived as healthier by their exploiters.

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

CHILDREN - The government took steps to respond to a March 2004 UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) study that showed a number of girls entered into sexual relationships with teachers for money, became pregnant, and subsequently left school. The study also found that many girls left school because of violent behavior by some teachers. In response, the government expanded legal protection of students subjected to exploitation and inappropriate relationships at school. On November 11, the Lilongwe magistrate court sentenced a male teacher to 6 years imprisonment for defiling a 10‑year‑old girl in a classroom.

The trafficking of children for sexual purposes was a problem, and child prostitution also occurred. The belief that children were unlikely to be HIV positive and the widespread belief that sexual intercourse with virgins can cleanse an individual of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, contributed to the sexual exploitation of minors

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

[61] The Committee is concerned at the lack of knowledge about sexual exploitation and abuse of children and at the increasing number of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation, including prostitution and pornography. Concern is also expressed at the insufficient programs for the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of child victims of such abuse and exploitation.

Child Prostitution worsens in Cities

Three months ago, 15-year-old M. C. trekked to Blantyre with friends who assured her she would get a job as a waitress in a restaurant. Today, she is among hundreds of girl children, many as young as 10, who are being used as prostitutes in brothels that have mushroomed in Blantyre’s Ndirande and Bangwe townships and at Biwi in Lilongwe, among other places in the country.

Children's Rights

Early in 2004, the outgoing UNICEF resident representative decried child prostitution that was shown to be on the increase in Malawi. It has also been reported that teenage girls are being recruited and being kept in Rest House rooms to attract more patronage. This trend is prevalent in Karonga and Lilongwe.

Southern Africa: Major destination for traffickers in women and children

"Sexual exploitation - in particular, prostitution - is the most widely documented form of exploitation for women and children trafficked within and from Africa," said the report. In certain instances it has been "exacerbated also by a demand from foreigners", such as in holiday resorts in Malawi, where children are reported to be sexually exploited by European tourists, or sent to Europe as sex slaves.

Analysis Of The Situation of Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region

[2.1] SEX TOURISM AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN - In Malawi, the incidence of children being abused by tourists is very prominent. Mumba (1998) notes that there is illegal exploitation of children by expatriates. Foreigners who pose as philanthropists also sexually exploit boys in tourist areas. The abusers have been reported to be ordinary men and substance abusers, with some of the men being married.

[3.1] MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM - In Malawi, lack of research and statistical information about the nature and extent of commercial sexual exploitation of children hinders the knowledge regarding the magnitude of the problem.

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