OSCE Mission supports campaign to curb child trafficking and begging in Kosovo

PRISHTINE/PRISTINA, 7 August 2008 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo and non-governmental organization Terre des Hommes launched today a public information campaign against child trafficking and begging in Kosovo.

The campaign, sponsored by the OSCE Mission and implemented by Terre des Hommes, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of trafficking in human beings, and to inform the public about the problem of children being exploited as beggars and the link to human trafficking.

"Children forced to beg in the streets are vulnerable and represent an easy target for traffickers of human beings. Young girls and boys begging in the streets can easily end up being trafficked outside Kosovo as well," said Valentina Bejtullahu, from the OSCE Anti-Trafficking Unit, at the campaign launch.

The campaign encourages the public to stop giving money to street children to reduce "supply" and thus push down "demand". Terres des Hommes estimates there are some 400 children being exploited as beggars in Kosovo.

"The general public feeds the phenomenon by giving coins to children, making their exploitation by adults profitable and indirectly supporting trafficking in human beings," said Artur Marku, director of Terre Des Hommes Kosovo. "There is a fundamental lack of understanding about the forced begging cycle and its consequences on children's lives among the general public and the institutions responsible for protecting children's rights."

The public information campaign will continue through August.