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

Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children

Republic of Finland [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Republic of Finland [map] is located in N Europe and is bordered by the Gulf of Bothnia and Sweden in (W), by Norway (N), by Russia (E), and by the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea (S). The country includes the Åland Islands, located at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia. Helsinki is Finland's capital and largest city. Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but picked up in 2004. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Finland. 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 (Finland), 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 Finland, call 09 753 5121

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

CHILDREN - The government was strongly committed to children's rights and welfare. Public education and health care systems were well funded. Education was free and compulsory for all children ages 7 to 16, more than 99 percent of whom attended school. Most children attended school until graduation from high school. Education at universities and trade schools was also free.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2005

[42] While noting the State party's efforts in this regard, the Committee expresses concern at the high dropout rate from school among Roma children and at their difficulties in accessing education, which negatively impact their development and future access to employment. In addition, the Committee also notes with concern the lack of teachers and of pre-school teaching material in the Roma language.

Finland - Other Hazardous Child Labor [PDF]

The problem of street children is not large and estimates suggest that there are about 100-200 children.

Meeting “Children on the Street” [PDF]

[Page 74] In Finland we still have quite few immigrants. At least in the survey of the Council of Europe it was found out that the risk to become a street child is bigger in immigrant families. A cultural gap between generations is sometimes so deep in families that the only choice for a youngster is to run away. Appropriate services for street children are shelter houses in bigger towns, run by the Red Cross Finland. Also outreach work is done in the streets in bigger towns.

Children in Viipuri Attest to Sex Trips by Finns

There are about 200 street children in Viipuri, and they have anything but an easy life. For example, 13-year old Andrei and 14-year-old Vova are on the street because of their parents' alcoholism, and many of these street children are driven to prostitution because of drug addiction, because they are hungry, or just because they want a warm place to spend the night. Sergei Semenkov, a doctor living in Finland, issues the reminder that there would be no supply unless there was demand. The clientele of the Viipuri child prostitutes is 98% Finnish.

Street Children and Homelessness

PROTECTING CHILDREN - The Finnish devised a plan in 1987 including house-building, social welfare, health care service, and a duty to provide a decent home for every homeless person. The number of homeless people in Finland was cut in half after 10 years.[9] However, the major problem with State programs is that children often reject the alternative assistance offered by the State.

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