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

Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery

In the first ten years of the 21st Century  -  2000 to 2009

Republic of Mauritius

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings.  [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]

Mauritius is a source for children trafficked within the country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Secondary school-age girls and, to a lesser extent, younger girls from all areas of the island, including from Rodrigues Island, are induced into prostitution, often by their peers, family members, or businessmen offering other forms of employment. Taxi drivers are known to provide transportation and introductions for both the girls and the clients. Boys whose mothers engage in prostitution are reportedly forced into prostitution at a young age. Some drug-addicted women are forced to engage in prostitution by their boyfriends, who serve as pimps. - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009  [full country report]

 

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

*** ARCHIVES ***

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

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Mauritius has an estimated 2,600 child prostitutes and is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Children are also trafficked internally for exploitation in the sex tourism industry.

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

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS – The law prohibits trafficking in persons, and in December the legislature amended the Child Protection Act, increasing the maximum punishment for trafficking to 15 years and expanding the definition of trafficking. There were reports that children were trafficked within the country for child prostitution. There were reports that some schoolgirls worked in conjunction with prostitution rings or family members.

Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 1   Civil Liberties: 2   Status: Free

U.S. Library of Congress - Country Study

Mauritius Human Rights Report

The law prohibits trafficking in children, but does not specifically mention trafficking in adults; however, there were no reports of trafficking in persons in the country during the year.

ECPAT UK Campaigner

www.ecpat.org.uk/campaigner0704.htm

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

CASES - A Liberian girl had been forced into domestic work with a family in Mauritius, and kept locked in. She was told that if she came to the UK she would get an education. Instead she was forced into domestic servitude, sexually abused and prostituted.

Protection Project Country Report [DOC]

www.protectionproject.org/human_rights_reports/report_documents/mauritius.doc

TRAFFICKING ROUTES - Mauritius is a destination country for trafficking in women and children. Children have been trafficked to Mauritius from Madagascar.

NONGOVERNMENTAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION RESPONSES - Shelter for Women and Children in Distress runs rehabilitation programs for victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Social workers have also participated in a training session with End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) International.

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