prijava
TUZLA, October 18 (FENA) - Members of the Association “Land of Children BiH” and Roma Women Association "A Better Future" from Tuzla marked 18 October - European Anti-trafficking Day with street performances in Tuzla downtown today.
They placed natural size figurines of children beggars, with inscriptions related to the vulnerability of the youngest population to various forms of violence and trafficking in human beings. They have urged the citizens not to give money to children beggars, because it is a way to support their exploitation. Instead, every case should be reported to the police and the Social Work Center.
“Very often on the street we meet younger children, even mothers with infants, inadequately clothed, at extremely high or low temperatures. They have been pressured and forced to beg by their parents and organized criminal groups. Through our work, we meet underage girls who are being pushed into contracted marriages from their village or city, and are often involved in various forms of exploitation that can be associated with forms of trafficking in human beings. The protection of children and adults is not a responsibility of a single institution or an association, but all of us and the entire society,” said Medina Gračić, teacher at the Day Center of the association "Land of Children BiH".
She recalled that this association, through the Day Center, has been addressing the problems of children on the street for years and also those at risk of becoming street children.
The data of this association on the number of children involved in begging are very different from the data provided by the Tuzla Canton Interior Ministry.
“In the period from 2012 to 2017, through our work we observed and reacted to the public institutions in about 120 cases of begging, as well as 20 cases of extra-marital arrangements with minors. The Ministry of Internal Affairs says that the number of cases is far smaller.
Unfortunately, the exact number of such cases is much higher, which is why it is necessary to strengthen the capacities of non-governmental organizations and institutions in order to adequately respond to the problem of forced begging and other forms of trafficking in human beings in our country,” concluded Gračić.
(FENA) S. R.
