AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse

PRESS RELEASE

Friday 7 April 2006

Seminar on Trafficking of African children takes place in Dublin

Representatives of African community organisations, practitioners and policymakers in the area of child protection and work with refugee and asylum seekers will participate in a bilateral seminar that seeks to raise greater awareness of the trafficking of African children between the UK and the Irish Republic. The event will also help social workers and other professionals who come into contact with child victims to recognise the signs of this form of child abuse. The seminar is due to hold on Thursday 27 April 2006 at the Comfort Inn, Great Denmark Street, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

The event – organized by AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse, a UK based charity promoting the welfare of African children, in collaboration with Irish based African organisations will also highlight the role of the African community in raising awareness of the issue and safeguarding victims.

AFRUCA Director Debbie Ariyo said: We know from our work in the UK that there are strong linkages between the trafficking of children from Africa in to the UK and the Irish Republic. There is increasing anecdotal evidence from members of the African community in the UK about children from Africa being trafficked or re-trafficked into the Irish Republic for a variety of purposes including domestic servitude and possible benefit fraud. There are also known government agencies who have worked with victims and potential victims of trafficking. These are serious issues to be explored and addressed in order to safeguard vulnerable children.

The event will be chaired by Salome Mbugua, Executive Director of Akina Dada Wa Afrika (AkidWA), a Dublin based organisation working with African women. Other participants at the event include Heilean Rosenstock-Armie, Separated Children’s Officer, Irish Refugee Council, Margaret Akullo, a UK Independent Researcher on Child Trafficking, Yemisi Ojo, Director, Integration of African Children in Ireland and Debbie Ariyo, Director, AFRUCA.

The seminar also aims to inform policy makers and those who work with children and young people about international and national issues and guidance on dealing with child trafficking. It will also identify further multi agency learning needs and next steps to help further improve recognition and the way cases are dealt with. The seminar will take place on Tuesday 27 April from 9:30 to 2:30pm at the Comfort Hotel, O’Connell Road, Dublin.

Notes To Editor

1. AFRUCA – Africans Unite against Child Abuse is the UK’s premier charity promoting the welfare of African children. Established in May 2001, we are the only organisation in the UK campaigning against the trafficking of African children into the country.

2. AFRUCA’s work on counter trafficking involves international advocacy, raising awareness of the risks that vulnerable children and their families in African countries face in pursuance of a “better life” in Europe that leaves them prone to trafficking and exploitation.

3. AFRUCA works closely within the UK African community to raise awareness and sensitise about the problem of child trafficking. We work with national policymakers, to influence ongoing government work on counter-trafficking through lobbying, the provision of advice and information on key issues. We also work with practitioners including the police, immigration service, social workers and immigration lawyers working with victims of trafficking to inform their work and assist with projects involving young African victims.

4. The Seminar on child trafficking in Dublin forms part of our Trafficking in Europe Project that seeks to raise awareness of cross trafficking issues in four European countries including Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland. Funded by the BodyShop Foundation, the project also aims to highlight the role of the African community across Europe in addressing the problem of child trafficking and devising a collaborative, pan-European approach to dealing with the phenomenon.

5. For further information about the event or to register, please contact Elvina Quaison by e-mail: Elvina@afruca.org. or AkidWA in Dublin on 00353874150906 or email: akidwa@eircom.net

AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse

April 2006