The Way I See It - Be Thankful

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Wed, Dec 23, 2009, 7:00 am  //  Ham Hayes

Young Cambodian girls at Angkor Wat
Future Trafficking Victims?
Photo: Ham Hayes
I recently heard Nicholas Kristof speak on the oppression of women and girls around the world. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have just published a brilliant book, “Half the Sky," Alfred A. Knopf publisher, 2009. They relate horrific and compassionate stories about the kinds of slavery (aka “trafficking”) that tens of millions around the world are subjected to today. They also pinpoint the lack of attention and action given to the issue in both the private and government sectors globally.

According to the most recent U.S. State Department Report on Trafficking in Persons (2008), the United Nations “estimates that there are 12.3 million people in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude at any given time; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million.” Other research cited in the report gives the number of persons transported across national borders at 800,000 (2006). “Approximately 80 percent of transnational victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors. The majority of transnational victims are females trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. These numbers do not include millions of female and male victims around the world who are trafficked within their own national borders—the majority for forced or bonded labor.”

The inherent problem is that trafficking is very lucrative. The International Labor Organization places the profits from sex trafficking alone at $218 billion a year. Families, such as those in Cambodia, may subsist on less than $1 per day per person, which places tremendous pressure on some families to sell their daughters. Not all do of course, but until recent years, Cambodia had one of the largest sex-tourism trades in the world. In other situations, families and the victims themselves have been deceived into thinking their children were going to be working in legitimate businesses, only to find they have been sold into slavery.

Many countries don’t have adequate laws or control to fight slavery. In numerous cases, the authorities are corrupt and part of the problem. The U.S. lists only 29 countries that comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act. The Act defines criteria for whether countries are taking sufficient action to eliminate human trafficking. Another 70 countries don’t meet the minimum standards, but are improving. The remaining 55 countries are either doing nothing or are in danger of moving backward. So if you thought slavery had ended, it hasn’t. It is widespread. The countries with no effort to comply with the Traffic Victims Protection Act are : ALGERIA, BURMA,CUBA, FIJI, IRAN, KUWAIT, MOLDOVA, NORTH KOREA, OMAN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, SUDAN, and SYRIA.

Kristof and WuDunn call us to action. Some good news is that some countries are increasingly arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators. But pressure needs to be kept on those countries (as well as our own) in that regard. Although necessary, legal pursuit after a crime often seems to push the problem around but never get rid of it. Some alternative and supplemental approaches are needed. These approaches include improving education and providing micro-financing. Reportedly, these methods seem to work well in a number of countries. I’m familiar with providing schools in Cambodia. There, the average male receives about 2.7 years of education. The average female receives 1.7 years. Non-governmental organizations such as Bernie Krisher’s American Assistance for Cambodia works with the Cambodian government and definitely helps. Donors working through AAfC have built over 500 schools in Cambodia since 1999. The effect is to “raise the value” of the person, especially girls, in the eyes of the family and community. This makes it less likely the girls will be sold. Greg Mortenson’s efforts to build schools in Pakistan are another example (see his book, “Three Cups of Tea.”) Krisher’s organization will also give families a $10/month stipend if their daughters achieve perfect attendance in school. The benefits are amazing.

Success doesn’t necessarily come easily to these efforts. The challenges require persistence, kindness and grace. Kristof and WuDunn quote a Hawaiian parable from Naka Nathaniel, a New York Times videographer that is apt:
‘A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back in to the water. “What are you doing, son?” the man asks. “You see how many starfish there are? You’ll never make a difference.” The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw in into the ocean. “It sure made a difference to that one,” he said.’


Perhaps Kristof and WuDunn have identified a gift worth giving. I think so. Be thankful for their voices.

Related Links:

-> Half the Sky
-> Dept of State - Trafficking in Persons Report 2008
-> American Assistance for Cambodia

Lummi Ferry Petition is Linked

Wed, Sep 01, 2010, 2:40 pm  //  John Servais

A petition to the federal government online at skookum.us. It asks they step in to resolve the impasse between the Lummi and Whatcom County.

0 comments

Lummi Island - The Price of Admission

Thu, Aug 26, 2010, 3:01 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Legal or Political Football?

4 comments; last on Aug 27, 2010

Politics & Ice Water: Part 1 of ?

Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 8:07 am  //  Larry Horowitz

Politics is like a pool of ice water. When men jump in their balls shrivel up.

5 comments; last on Aug 26, 2010

Lummi Island Softball

Fri, Aug 20, 2010, 3:26 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Islanders need a new game

1 comments; last on Aug 24, 2010

Cantwell Confused

Wed, Aug 18, 2010, 4:07 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Ignoring the real problem

3 comments; last on Aug 19, 2010

Election Results

Tue, Aug 17, 2010, 8:05 pm  //  John Servais

A running blog this election night

0 comments

The Political Downzone of Responsible Land Use Planning

Mon, Aug 16, 2010, 12:55 pm  //  John Lesow

John Lesow rebuts Jack Petree's Herald oped article that strongly criticized county planning.

30 comments; last on Aug 25, 2010

Herald runs a beautiful smear of Rossi

Mon, Aug 16, 2010, 12:03 pm  //  John Servais

Headline and article paint U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi very badly on final day ballots are mailed. The Bellingham Herald editors print a perfect smear.

5 comments; last on Aug 18, 2010

Lummi Football

Sat, Aug 14, 2010, 12:20 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Time for hardball?

0 comments

Mail your ballot by Monday, 3 p.m.

Sat, Aug 14, 2010, 6:51 am  //  John Servais

Mailing even late Monday evening is gambling on its being counted. Mail in time.

1 comments; last on Aug 14, 2010

Deceptive Herald article on planning

Fri, Aug 13, 2010, 8:39 am  //  John Servais

Am looking for a writer to rebut Jack Petree's BIAW propaganda article the Herald saw fit to print.

3 comments; last on Aug 20, 2010

The Way I See It - Time to change

Wed, Aug 11, 2010, 4:00 pm  //  Ham Hayes

Fear and attack-rhetoric are leading us in the wrong direction.

1 comments; last on Aug 12, 2010

Candidate choices of John Servais

Mon, Aug 09, 2010, 3:15 pm  //  John Servais

Personal opinion and recommendations from an independent liberal and progressive. ADDED more on Tuesday, Aug 10.

3 comments; last on Aug 13, 2010

And in the 40th we have…..

Mon, Aug 09, 2010, 1:49 pm  //  Ham Hayes

Candidates, o candidates - where art thou? Monday Updates

2 comments; last on Aug 04, 2010

Where’s the Info?

Mon, Aug 09, 2010, 12:38 pm  //  Viki Warner

One week till the Primary, but no info?

3 comments; last on Aug 09, 2010

Cooperation no substitute for small libraries

Sat, Aug 07, 2010, 8:18 am  //  John Servais

A library card from any Whatcom County library can now be used at any library in the county

5 comments; last on Aug 15, 2010

40th District State Representative Pos 1 Primary - Tom Pasma’s Responses

Fri, Aug 06, 2010, 4:54 am  //  Ham Hayes

Tom answers our questions

1 comments; last on Aug 08, 2010

40th District State Representative Pos 2 Primary - Rep. Jeff Morris’ Responses

Fri, Aug 06, 2010, 4:50 am  //  Ham Hayes

Jeff answers our questions

0 comments

40th District State Representative Pos 1 Primary - Chuck Carrell’s Respones

Fri, Aug 06, 2010, 4:48 am  //  Ham Hayes

Chuck answers our questions

0 comments

Act of War or Act of Congress?

Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 1:50 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Where, oh where, are our federal representatives?

6 comments; last on Aug 06, 2010

A letter to the Bellingham City Council

Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 8:28 am  //  John Servais

We ask why the EIS extension was given to the Chuckanut Ridge developers when the city is negotiating to buy the property.

0 comments

City bumbles on Chuckanut Ridge extension

Wed, Aug 04, 2010, 8:12 am  //  John Servais

Bellingham Planning Department is giving quiet extensions to the Chuckanut Ridge developer - propping up the property value.

1 comments; last on Aug 04, 2010

Chuckanut Ridge Development Gets Extension

Mon, Aug 02, 2010, 1:30 pm  //  John Servais

Bellingham Planning Department gave a three month extension, till Oct 29, to Greenbriar

2 comments; last on Aug 02, 2010

John Powers death, in the words of a friend

Sat, Jul 31, 2010, 9:29 pm  //  John Servais

John Powers died yesterday. Ted expresses his remembrance.

0 comments

Raising a Village: Can the Bellingham Cooperative School be saved?

Fri, Jul 30, 2010, 10:54 am  //  Kamalla Rose Kaur

Mourning the loss of a valuable community asset

2 comments; last on Aug 01, 2010

The Way I See It - Mud resurrected

Wed, Jul 28, 2010, 4:39 am  //  Ham Hayes

It is time we gave “mud” back its good name.

0 comments

The Way I See It - En Garde

Wed, Jul 21, 2010, 4:42 am  //  Ham Hayes

“We have lots of robberies.” As I reported last week, that was the apocalyptic statement by the investigating officer to our recent plight in St.…

0 comments

Greed: The Shadowy So-called Non-profit Taecan

Mon, Jul 19, 2010, 11:53 am  //  Tip Johnson

For-Profit Non-Profits - Pulling the Plug on Services

0 comments

The Forsaken Constituents of Lummi Island

Mon, Jul 19, 2010, 11:20 am  //  Tip Johnson

Taxation without representation

3 comments; last on Jul 28, 2010

Libraries are still very valuable

Fri, Jul 16, 2010, 8:18 pm  //  John Servais

The New Spice Man tells us why libraries are useful and valuable. This applies to all libraries.

0 comments

Three Port Executive Finalists Withdraw

Fri, Jul 16, 2010, 1:30 pm  //  John Servais

In a surprise development, the Port of Bellingham is starting over again in their search for an executive director. Position now vacant for over a…

1 comments; last on Jul 18, 2010

Book Review:  Whole Earth Discipline

Fri, Jul 16, 2010, 4:44 am  //  Guest writer

Eric Hirst reviews this October 2009 book by Stewart Brand of Whole Earth Catalog fame. Stewart is critical of several mainstream environmental stances.

1 comments; last on Jul 19, 2010

 

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