Economic hardship experienced by Syrian refugee families living in neighbouring countries is forcing children into arranged marriage and child labour, a report by Caritas Europe has found.
The research, entitled ‘Trafficking in human beings in conflict and post-conflict situations’, found that Syrian children living in host countries, such as Lebanon and Turkey, are vulnerable to exploitation because a large majority of them are not living in refugee camps where they have access to basic healthcare, food and education.
Without this support, families are struggling to earn enough money to cover their most basic needs and, once they have spent their savings, some are forced to send their children to work in factories or enter arranged early marriages.
In February 2016, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated the number of Syrians living in neighbouring countries at more than 4.5 million, with over 2 million in Turkey alone.
The report found that supporting school enrolment for all children, not just those in the camps, would make a positive difference, as would training teachers to identify at-risk young people. The report also suggested raising awareness among the general public about different forms of exploitation.
The report, which looked at human trafficking in Albania, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Turkey, Lebanon, France and Ukraine, found that displaced, desperate people in conflict zones were increasingly at risk of trafficking and exploitation.
In particular the trafficking of people for domestic servitude, sexual slavery and child soldiering, is on the increase. The report found that in cases of human trafficking for sexual slavery, some families were duped into handing over their daughters under the pretext of arranged marriage.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced yesterday (31 July) that she was committing a further £33 million to fight human trafficking, targeting the smuggling routes in countries such as Nigeria. Ministers estimate there are between 10,000 and 13,000 potential victims of slavery in the UK.
The Caritas report includes a series of recommendations for national governments, the United Nations, the European Union and international donors to help identify and prevent trafficking.
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