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

Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children

Kingdom of Belgium

The Kingdom of Belgium, a NW European country [map], is bordered by the Netherlands and the North Sea (N), Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (E), and France (W & SW). Brussels is its capital and Antwerp its chief commercial center and one of the world's major ports. Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Belgium. 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 (Belgium), and Years Missing

Runaways - Where To Turn For Help Before You Are Homeless

Here are the best phone numbers to call …They are Confidential - which means they won't tell anyone about your call unless you want them to talk to somebody for you, or you are in danger. They are open 24 Hours - it doesn't matter what time you call In Belgium, call 078/15 14 13

UNICEF - The Big Picture

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

CHILDREN - Free full time education is compulsory from ages 6 to 16; subsequently education remains compulsory until the age of 18, but pupils may continue on a part time basis. Most children over 15 years old (more than 75 percent) finish school with a secondary diploma.

Government and private groups provided shelters for runaways and counseling for children who were physically or sexually abused. Child Focus, the government-sponsored center for missing and exploited children, reported that it handled 3,305 cases concerning 3,658 children in 2004. Approximately 40 percent of the reported cases concerned runaways.

Prostitution of Belgian children

[37] Despite the very different circumstances that lead these children, Belgian, immigrant or
refugee, to live and work on the streets, many aspects of their future will be similar. Up to
70 per cent of them become addicted to cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, speed, or a mixture of
these, and some become drug dealers to support their addiction. Other addictions include
gambling, with estimates suggesting that up to 80 per cent of the children=s earnings are
spent in gambling halls. A large number of such halls appeared in Brussels in 1995, and
have now replaced video parks as the main places for street children to hang out.

United Fund for Belgium - Projects: Children and young

CHARITY OBJECTIVES - Shelter for children in difficulty … Shelter and orientation for young people in crisis … Accomm. & Guidance for Youngsters in Distress … Shelter and guidance for families and people on their own ... Lodging of 70 teenagers in psychic suffering ... Program offered to a group of school drop-outs in Brussels … etc.

Belgium's 'Missing' Migrant Children

"It was very hard. I left Albania and came to Italy by boat, then a train to France. I didn't eat for five days, I slept outside. No one would help me,” says 16-year-old Shpetim from Albania. Appeals for information have now been issued to trace nearly 400 young migrants and asylum seekers who came to Belgium without their parents and are now missing.

Street children Statistics

Belgium has 4,000 homeless children (in the charge of homeless parents). (Council of Europe)

Industrialized Countries - Commentary

A number of cities in Belgium now tax uninhabited houses in order to discourage owners from neglecting property and speculating. In the city of Ghent, that particular initiative led to a 50 per cent decrease in the number of registered uninhabited homes in just five years.

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