Child Exploitation Campaign 2010

Join Plan’s youth network, YUGA, in our Child Rights and Exploitation Campaign! We are raising awareness about the fact that millions of children around the world are trafficked out of their homes and forced into exploitative work including child labor (often with slavery like conditions), sexual exploitation, and the abuse of children as child soldiers.

Now, we want YOU and all your friends to get active with YUGA!!

Through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) many World Leaders have promised children a better future. Unfortunately, not all of these promises have been kept, and rights are being denied everyday to children around the world. Join us in the fight to end child exploitation and to protect the rights of every child!

How you can get involved

1. Educate
   • Child exploitation is a form of abuse where children are taken advantage of for the benefit of others. Estimates show that around 1.2 billion children are trafficked annually. This number is comparable to the total population of India (the 2nd most populous country in the world)!! Let’s take a closer look at the three different forms of child exploitation: child labor, sex trafficking, and child soldiers
   • Educate yourself about the issue! Read these articles about Plan’s initiatives around the world to protect children against violence:
     • Child protection
     • Child trafficking
   • Run an interactive activity in your class or club to help your peers understand the issue of child exploitation.
2. Advocate
   • Laws regarding child trafficking and exploitation are often inadequate, and often those who are responsible for enforcing the laws are lax or corrupt. Help change that! Contact your local Senators and urge them to support the International Violence against Women Act (IVAWA). IVAWA was introduced in 2010 and is the first serious effort by the U.S. government to address violence against women and girls around the world. You can make copies of your letter and get your friends to sign it!
   • To find your congressperson go to:
     • Senators
     • Representatives
3. Raise Public Awareness
   • Share this article about Christelle, a young Togolese girl who was a victim of child trafficking:
   • See how people in Togo are using creative means to raise awareness about child trafficking!
   • Hold a Day of Silence: Engage your school in children’s rights by running a day of silence to spread awareness about children that don’t have rights. Design t-shirts or wear a specific color to look uniform and pledge to remain completely silent for the entire school day. This day can serve as a metaphor for the millions of children around the world who do not have a voice in what happens to them.
4. Fundraise
   • Hold a fundraiser at your school to support Plan’s Because I am a Girl Campaign. Whatever you raise will go to help provide vocational training for at-risk girls, giving them the skills needed to improve their livelihoods and showing their communities that girls are a valuable resource.
   • Need some more ideas! Get inspired here!
5. Join the YUGA cause!
   • Join YUGA on Facebook to show your support and stay connected to us throughout the year!

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