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

Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children

Republic of Belarus [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Republic of Belarus, located in E central Europe [map] is bordered by Poland (W), Lithuania and Latvia (N), Russia (E), and Ukraine (S). Minsk is its capital and largest city. Belarus’ economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth. Still, the economy continues to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Belarus. 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.

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

UNICEF - The Big Picture

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

CHILDREN - Children begin school at the age of 6 and are required to complete 9 years of education. The government made 11 years of education available at no cost, and most children completed compulsory schooling. In many cases the government paid for university education.

Child abuse was a limited problem. The Ministry of Labor reported that 86 percent of the country's 32 thousand orphans had been abandoned by their parents; this statistic appeared to include children of alcoholic parents removed from the home by the government. The law allows military units to adopt and train orphans between the ages of 14 and 16. While these children are not enlisted in the military, they must comply with military rules, wear a uniform, and obey orders. They are required to join the unit upon reaching the draft age of 18.

NATIONAL/RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES - The Romani community was characterized by high unemployment and a low level of education; in November authorities estimated the unemployment rate at 93 percent. Romani children spoke mainly Romani and Belarusian and struggled in the school system, where the primary language of instruction was Russian

Elite And Lumpen Of The Streets: The Differing Destinies Of Moscow Street Children

Lena, who is also from Belarus, seems by contrast to have a stable position in the System. She started running away from home when she was ten. At first, she went to stay with friends in Minsk; later, she started to travel to Moscow, normally with three or four friends from Minsk. Now aged fifteen, Lena has managed in the intervals between her travels to acquire nine years of schooling. She wants to be a linguist and to study at Minsk State University.

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