Protecting Vulnerable Children from Abroad

Hilton Dawson, Patron of AFRUCA speaks on key issues affecting African children from abroad, the role of AFRUCA and the need for governments and the African community in the UK to act to safeguard them.

“The biggest achievement of the labour government in the area of child rights and welfare is really its huge commitment to children. The government statement that every child matters is something to which they can be held accountable. They are concerned about tackling child poverty across the world, and are investing in public services to better the life of children in this country. They are also investing on a huge scale in terms of international development. The Prime Minister has made a personal commitment to Africa and the children there. This is very positive.

On the one hand, the government is to be congratulated for recognising child trafficking and for bringing severe sentences for people who engage in trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes, domestic servitude or for benefit fraud. However, there is a huge gap within the current legislation which I tried to amend during the course of Children’s Bill before it became an Act. This involves the attitude to asylum seeking young people and I think there is a real problem and it indicates that for the government, so far, every child does not matter.

We do have problems in the way children’s policy links with immigration policies. Where children are concerned, immigration policy tends to take precedence which of course is against the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It means that children, for instance, in asylum detention are not going to be cared for properly, and it means that children who are looked after within the care system are not going to get as good a deal if they asylum seeking children as indigenous children of this country. This is a very serious issue.

I believe AFRUCA is such an important organisation because it addresses issues that need to be addressed which are not getting the prominence they need because they are rooted in the and have credibility within the African community. I suspect that the government, local government and statutory are not able to engage fully with those issues.

For this reason, I would like to see AFRUCA recognised at all levels by government and local and national charities and major government organisations for children as a very authoritative source of advice on issues relating to children in the African community. I will also like to make progress on the issues of trafficking, private fostering, the achievements of African children and dealing with child protection issues within the African community.

Many people in the African community will be aware of trafficking issues and I think it is essential that the community, through AFRUCA and also through their elected representatives begin to speak out about it. I think it is essential that there is lobbying at government level. If people become aware of trafficking issues, it is essential that they report them to the police authorities and put the interest of children above all concerns. This is what I believe AFRUCA does and is one of the reasons I am so proud to be associated with the organisation.”

Former MP Hilton Dawson was appointed Patron of AFRUCA in December 2004.