Worldwide messages of hope for millions of trafficked children
Child labour
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons symbol is a heart
Jacob was 13 when he was lured from his Kenyan village by promises of an education and a job as a house boy in the city.
But the men who took him forced to hunt for scrap metal to sell. He ended up begging in the streets of Mombasa and had no way of contacting his family.
Eventually Jacob ran away and started stealing to survive. But The CRADLE (The Children’s Foundation) stepped in to help and reunited him with his family.
He is now 14 and has hope for the future. He is studying hard to get into secondary school and said: “I would like to be a teacher or a policeman who helps people when they are in trouble.”
Jacob – whose story is told on the United Nations Office on Drugs and crime website – is a victim of human trafficking, which affects millions of people around the world. At any given time, an estimated 2.5 million people are trapped in modern-day slavery – and one in three of them are children, deprived of their right to an education.
Today is World Day Against Trafficking In Persons – to raise awareness of the practice and to promote the rights of victims. Here are some of the facts and figures around human trafficking and what people are saying about it on Twitter using the hashtag #igivehope:
Let’s come forward to save innocent children from shackles of trafficking and slavery #IGiveHope @UN #AntiTrafficking pic.twitter.com/yE69L4ePFb
— KSCFoundation (@KSCFoundation) July 30, 2015
Risk of #trafficking has increased in #Nepal since the earthquake. #IGiveHope that children are #TaughtNotTrafficked http://t.co/YoFFReDgWG
— Childreach Int (@ChildreachInt) July 30, 2015
18% of children exploited through #humantrafficking are from Europe and Central Asia| Join #igivehope campaign pic.twitter.com/Q9S9Ck1r8T
— ECPAT International (@ECPAT) July 30, 2015
World Day Against #HumanTrafficking Infographic. How we’re tackling trafficking in 6 nations #igivehope pic.twitter.com/ZiYyxM4mVb
— WV Asia-Pacific (@WVAsia) July 30, 2015
Working together to #stop child trafficking #worlddayagainsttraffickinginpersons #igivehope pic.twitter.com/ZG3ismR5q7
— ANPPCAN Regional (@RegionalANPPCAN) July 30, 2015
Evidence shows that every country in the world is affected by human trafficking. http://t.co/g0XeL4rjLc #igivehope pic.twitter.com/12pjgv1QtX
— Say NO – UNiTE (@SayNO_UNiTE) July 30, 2015
We at @FXBIndia show support for victims of human trafficking on World Day against Trafficking In Persons #igivehope pic.twitter.com/Gd5PNzUoXw
— Cindy Lin (@cindywlin) July 30, 2015
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons #NPT A Shift Harlow #EPsupports #igivehope @EssexPoliceUK pic.twitter.com/ztxtmwPjm0
— Stuart Burt (@PCSOStuartBurt) July 30, 2015
From Bermuda, to US, to Uganda, to Australia, to Nepal, we join our hands in solidarity today. #Igivehope #endslavery pic.twitter.com/CwnsgCISAM
— Adara Group (@AdaraGroup) July 30, 2015
A message of hope and support from @DFWAC in the #WorldDayAgainstTraffickingInPersons #igivehope #Dubai #UAE pic.twitter.com/p2Ao3iiApA
— DFWAC (@DFWAC) July 30, 2015
IOM Sudan stands up against human trafficking! Together we can all end HT #StopHumanTrafficking #igivehope @IOM_news pic.twitter.com/N0C3GPSp0D
— IOM Sudan (@IOMSudan) July 30, 2015
In #Philippines our @USAID project responded to trafficking risks: http://t.co/drc4ij520R #typhoonhaiyan #igivehope pic.twitter.com/CEqiEqQNC9
— World Vision USA (@WorldVisionUSA) July 30, 2015
#Guyana Women Miners Association on their way to bring back trafficked young girls: http://t.co/N6wce70Rhs #IGiveHope pic.twitter.com/WoHQHE7Hzb
— UN Development (@UNDP) July 30, 2015