इंडोनेशिया में शैक्षिक चुनौतियाँ

 

लेखिका: लेटिसिया कॉक्स

इंडोनेशिया की एक-तिहाई आबादी बच्चे हैं – लगभग 85 मिलियन, जो किसी भी देश में चौथी सबसे बड़ी संख्या है।

शिक्षा मानवता को जानकारी, ज्ञान, कौशल और नैतिकता प्रदान करती है ताकि हम समाज, परिवारों और राष्ट्र के प्रति अपने कर्तव्यों को जान सकें, समझ सकें और उनका सम्मान कर सकें, और हमें आगे बढ़ने में मदद करती है।

शिक्षा जीवन जीने का एक तरीका है, जिसमें व्यक्ति ज्ञान प्राप्त कर सकता है और दूसरों के साथ इसे साझा कर सकता है। “शिक्षा व्यक्तिगत विकास का महान साधन है। यह शिक्षा के माध्यम से ही है कि एक किसान की बेटी डॉक्टर बन सकती है, एक खदान श्रमिक का बेटा खदान का प्रमुख बन सकता है, और खेत में काम करने वाले श्रमिक का बच्चा एक महान राष्ट्र का राष्ट्रपति बन सकता है,” पूर्व दक्षिण अफ्रीकी राष्ट्रपति नेल्सन मंडेला ने कहा था।

इंडोनेशिया में, दुनिया के अधिकांश हिस्सों की तरह, बच्चों को बारह साल की अनिवार्य शिक्षा प्राप्त करनी होती है, जिसमें प्राथमिक (कक्षा 1–6), जूनियर माध्यमिक (कक्षा 7–9), सीनियर माध्यमिक (कक्षा 10–12) और उच्च शिक्षा शामिल हैं।

युवा राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा मंत्रालय (Kemdiknas) द्वारा संचालित गैर-सांप्रदायिक सरकारी स्कूलों या धार्मिक (इस्लामिक, ईसाई, कैथोलिक और बौद्ध) निजी या अर्ध-निजी स्कूलों के बीच चयन कर सकते हैं, जिन्हें धार्मिक मामलों के मंत्रालय द्वारा प्रबंधित और वित्तपोषित किया जाता है।

कोविड-19 महामारी के दो साल बाद भी, इंडोनेशिया और दुनिया भर के छात्र और शिक्षक एक बड़े शिक्षा संकट से जूझ रहे हैं। जून 2022 की एक रिपोर्ट, जिसे यूनिसेफ, यूनेस्को, विश्व बैंक और अन्य संगठनों द्वारा जारी किया गया, यह बताती है कि वैश्विक स्तर पर अनुमानित 70 प्रतिशत 10 साल के बच्चे एक साधारण लिखित पाठ को समझने में असमर्थ हैं, जबकि महामारी से पहले यह संख्या 57 प्रतिशत थी।

अनस्प्लैश पर एड अस द्वारा फोटो

कोविड-19 के बाद का प्रभाव

इंडोनेशिया में शिक्षा का स्तर पहले से ही पाठ्यक्रम की अपेक्षाओं से कम था, और इसमें लिंग, क्षेत्र, विकलांगता और अन्य हाशिए पर आने वाले वर्गों के बीच भारी असमानताएँ थीं। अधिकांश छात्रों का प्रदर्शन उनकी कक्षा के स्तर से दो ग्रेड कम था। उदाहरण के लिए, कक्षा 5 के छात्र औसतन कक्षा 3 के स्तर पर पढ़ रहे थे।

क्षेत्र में किए गए शोध और सर्वेक्षणों के अनुसार, इसका एक कारण यह था कि शिक्षण गतिविधियों से पहले स्पष्ट शैक्षिक लक्ष्यों की अनुपस्थिति थी, जिसके कारण छात्रों और शिक्षकों को यह पता नहीं था कि ‘लक्ष्य’ क्या होने चाहिए। इस वजह से शैक्षिक प्रक्रिया में उनके पास कोई स्पष्ट दृष्टिकोण नहीं था। देश के कुछ क्षेत्रों में यह भी पाया गया कि प्रारंभिक कक्षाओं के छात्रों में पढ़ने की अक्षमता का प्रतिशत बढ़ा है।

कोविड-19 के कारण बड़े पैमाने पर स्कूलों का बंद होना और नौकरियों का खोना स्थिति को और खराब कर चुका है। कमजोर परिस्थितियों में रहने वाले बच्चों, जैसे निम्न-आय वाले परिवारों के बच्चे, विकलांग बच्चे और देश के पिछड़े हिस्सों में रहने वाले बच्चों के लिए यह प्रदर्शन और भी गंभीर हो गया है, जो स्कूल से बाहर होने के सबसे अधिक जोखिम में हैं।

महामारी से पहले भी कुछ गरीब क्षेत्रों में बाल विवाह एक समस्या थी। प्रमाण बताते हैं कि महामारी के दौरान बाल विवाहों में वृद्धि हुई है क्योंकि निम्न-आय वाले परिवार अपने आर्थिक बोझ को कम करने के लिए ऐसा कर रहे हैं।

अब बाल श्रम के घर में होने या घर की आजीविका (जैसे खेती और मछली पकड़ने) में मदद करने की संभावना बढ़ गई है, क्योंकि लॉकडाउन उपायों ने रोजगार के अवसरों को सीमित कर दिया है।

इंडोनेशियाई विकलांग बच्चों को काफी चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। शोध से पता चला है कि बच्चों और माता-पिता दोनों की विकलांगता उनके सीखने और स्कूल लौटने की संभावना को प्रभावित कर रही है।

खराब शैक्षणिक सुविधाएं और बुनियादी ढांचा

खराब स्कूल सुविधाएं और बुनियादी ढांचे की गुणवत्ता भी इंडोनेशिया की शिक्षा चुनौतियों का हिस्सा हैं। इंडोनेशिया के पचहत्तर प्रतिशत स्कूल आपदा जोखिम वाले क्षेत्रों में हैं; लगभग 800,000 वर्ग मील का देश बड़े भूकंप, सुनामी, तेज हवाओं, ज्वालामुखी, भूस्खलन और बाढ़ के संपर्क में है।

इंटरनेट तक असमान पहुंच, और शिक्षक योग्यता और शिक्षा की गुणवत्ता में विसंगति, दूरस्थ शिक्षा को लागू करने में सबसे बड़ी चुनौतियों के रूप में दिखाई दी। छोटे बच्चों के लिए दूरस्थ शिक्षा और देश के डिजिटल पहुंच स्तरों की विविधता हाशिए पर पड़े बच्चों के लिए और असमानताओं का कारण बनती है।

शिक्षकों की निम्न गुणवत्ता

इंडोनेशिया में शिक्षा की खराब गुणवत्ता के मुख्य कारणों में से एक शिक्षक भर्ती प्रक्रिया के कारण शिक्षकों की निम्न गुणवत्ता है, जो पेशेवर शिक्षा कर्मियों के चयन पर ध्यान केंद्रित नहीं करती है, बल्कि सिविल सेवकों की मांगों को पूरा करने पर केंद्रित है।

अधिकांश शिक्षकों के पास अपने कर्तव्यों को निभाने के लिए पर्याप्त व्यावसायिकता नहीं है जैसा कि कानून संख्या 39 के अनुच्छेद में कहा गया है। 2003 का 20, अर्थात् पाठों की योजना बनाना, पाठों को लागू करना, सीखने के परिणामों का आकलन करना, मार्गदर्शन करना, प्रशिक्षण आयोजित करना, अनुसंधान करना और सामुदायिक सेवा करना।

सिविल सेवक भर्ती प्रक्रिया के हिस्से के रूप में, शिक्षक भर्ती प्रक्रिया आम तौर पर एक पेशेवर शिक्षक के लिए आवश्यक कार्य कौशल पर ध्यान नहीं देती है।

हाल के एक सर्वेक्षण में, पढ़ाए जाने वाले विषयों को सीखने और समझने में योग्यता को मापने वाली शिक्षक योग्यता परीक्षा (यूकेजी) देने वाले शिक्षा प्रणाली के शिक्षक न्यूनतम अंकों को भी पूरा नहीं कर पाए।

सर्वेक्षण से यह भी पता चलता है कि जो शिक्षक सरकार द्वारा निर्धारित मानक से नीचे शिक्षित हैं, वे जूनियर हाई स्कूल के लिए 64.09%, हाई स्कूल के लिए 61.5% और व्यावसायिक स्कूल के लिए 10.14% हैं।

शिक्षण पेशे के लिए जटिल कार्य कौशल की आवश्यकता होती है। शिक्षकों को प्रभावी ढंग से पढ़ाने में सक्षम होना चाहिए और अपने छात्रों को शिक्षित करने के लिए उच्च प्रतिबद्धता और प्रेरणा होनी चाहिए।
इस बीच, सिविल सेवक भर्ती प्रणाली में शिक्षक भर्ती आम तौर पर राष्ट्रवाद और सामान्य ज्ञान को प्राथमिकता देती है न कि शिक्षण क्षमता को।

आवश्यक योग्यता चयन पर उच्चतम अंकों वाले संभावित शिक्षक एक लिखित खंड में भाग लेंगे जो उनके सीखने के प्रबंधन कौशल और उनके द्वारा पढ़ाए जाने वाले विषयों के ज्ञान की जांच करता है। लिखित सामान्य ज्ञान परीक्षा के माध्यम से एक पेशेवर शिक्षक की क्षमता को जानने का कोई तरीका नहीं है।

सामान्य तौर पर, सिविल सेवक प्रक्रिया में शिक्षकों की भर्ती सर्वोत्तम भावी शिक्षकों का चयन नहीं कर सकती है-प्रणाली राष्ट्रवाद और सामान्य ज्ञान को प्राथमिकता देती है, न कि शिक्षण को।

शिक्षा में, एक शिक्षक बनने के लिए “आह्वान” या जुनून आवश्यक है क्योंकि यह छात्रों को पढ़ाए जाने वाले ज्ञान के प्रति उनके प्यार और छात्रों की क्षमता का पता लगाने के उनके उत्साह से निकटता से संबंधित है। एक अच्छा शिक्षक होना चुनौतीपूर्ण है यदि यह आपका काम नहीं है।

लेटिसिया कॉक्स द्वारा लिखित

 

संदर्भ

https://ijble.com/index.php/journal/article/view/64/71

https://www.unicef.org/eap/media/9326/file/Sit An – Indonesia case study.pdf

https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/education-and-adolescents

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/81594

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/poor-quality-of-education-casts-shadow-on-indonesias-future-job-market

अनस्प्लैश पर हुस्निआती सलमा द्वारा कवर फोटो

Beyond the Shadows of the Dark Web Playground: Online Child Trafficking

Written by Leticia Cox
Human trafficking, particularly targeting young kids via online platforms, is an increasingly disturbing issue worldwide. With the growth of the internet and social media, traffickers have found new ways to exploit, recruit, and manipulate children into various forms of exploitation, including labour and sexual exploitation. This trend requires a multi-faceted approach involving updated legislation, international collaboration on legal frameworks, law enforcement strategies, education programs, enhanced online safety measures, and broad public awareness.

 

Traffickers often use social media platforms, online gaming environments, and chat applications to connect with potential young victims. They use a variety of tactics, including grooming, pretending to offer romantic relationships, promising lucrative job opportunities, or even using the victims’ social media friends to gain trust.
In today’s digital age, children are exposed to technology at a younger age than before. Parents must be aware of the potential cybersecurity threats that can put their children at risk. They need to stay informed and take measures to protect children when they connect with the digital world.
According to a recent UN report, 80% of young people interact with AI multiple times per day. The increasing development of AI has led to numerous little-known applications that appear harmless, like uploading a photo to receive a modified version. However, when children upload their pictures, they have no control over which databases their photos will be stored in or how they might be used.

By raising awareness, implementing prevention programs, enforcing strict laws, and utilising technology responsibly, we can make a difference in the fight against online child trafficking and child privacy violations.

Worldwide Spread Victims
In North America, particularly the United States and Canada, online child trafficking is a sophisticated operation where traffickers employ advanced technologies, including the “Dark Web” and encrypted communication platforms. The primary challenges faced are the extensive digital landscape and the cross-jurisdictional nature of the internet.
In Mexico, a country that serves both as a source and a transit point for trafficked children, the increasing internet penetration has spurred the growth of online trafficking networks. Efforts in Mexico are concentrated on enhancing inter-agency coordination and strengthening law enforcement’s capabilities in digital forensics to effectively tackle trafficking cases.
Central American nations are hindered by limited resources and pervasive corruption, which impede effective countermeasures against online child trafficking. Traffickers in the region often use social media platforms to recruit and manipulate victims. However, international collaborations are increasingly supporting local efforts to improve response capabilities.
In South America, countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina are challenged by economic disparities and regional conflicts that heighten vulnerabilities among children. Traffickers exploit online platforms to target these at-risk populations.
Europe has also been significantly impacted by the menace of online child trafficking. The advent of technology and the internet has opened new avenues for traffickers to exploit vulnerable children. These perpetrators often use social media and the dark web to facilitate their illicit trade. The legal frameworks and protective measures vary significantly across European countries, influencing the effectiveness of the response to trafficking.
In Asia, the socio-economic conditions, including poverty, lack of education, and entrenched socio-cultural norms, contribute to the susceptibility of children to trafficking. The demand for cheap labour, sexual exploitation, and illegal adoption drives this nefarious trade across the continent.
Africa is a continent that has been deeply affected by the scourge of online child trafficking. With the rise of technology and the internet, traffickers have found new ways to exploit vulnerable children for profit. From the bustling markets of Nigeria to the remote villages of South Africa, children are being bought and sold online with alarming frequency.
The Oceania region is experiencing its own unique set of challenges and opportunities in the fight against online child trafficking. The vast and diverse geographical and cultural landscape of the region has a significant impact on the incidence and techniques of online exploitation. Although islands with limited resources and connectivity face unique challenges, the widespread internet access across the region also provides avenues for both legal and illegal activities.

How Online Platforms Facilitate Child Trafficking.
Child trafficking is a devastating crime that affects millions of children worldwide. While traditional methods of trafficking involve physical transportation and exploitation, the rise of online platforms has created new opportunities for traffickers to prey on vulnerable children.
Online platforms provide traffickers with a convenient and anonymous way to recruit, groom, and exploit children. Social media, messaging apps, and online forums are commonly used to lure victims by offering false promises of love, friendship, or opportunities for a better life. Once a child is in contact with a trafficker, they may be coerced into providing personal information, compromising photos or videos, or engaging in sexual activities.

I. Common Tactics Used by Traffickers in Key Industries.
In online child trafficking, traffickers deploy various manipulation tactics to exploit their victims. They often begin with grooming and building trust through flattery, gifts, and promises of a better life to lure children into risky situations.
Additionally, traffickers use coercion, employing threats and intimidation to control their victims, which may include threats of harm or exposure of sensitive information. Manipulation tactics like gaslighting and isolation are also common, as they undermine the victim’s reality and sever their connections to others, maintaining the trafficker’s control and ongoing exploitation.
Hospitality and Tourism Sector: With the rise of online booking platforms and social media, traffickers have found new avenues to exploit vulnerable individuals. They may use these platforms to advertise fake job opportunities or groom potential victims, making it easier to lure them into trafficking schemes.
In addition, the transient nature of the hospitality and tourism sector also makes it easier for traffickers to transport victims across borders or between tourist destinations, often under the guise of legitimate travel.
Entertainment and Adult Industries: Online child trafficking in the entertainment and adult industries is a grave and complex issue that exploits vulnerable minors through various digital channels. Traffickers employ sophisticated tactics to recruit, groom, and exploit children, often under the guise of legitimate opportunities in modelling, acting, or other entertainment sectors.
Traffickers often advertise fake job opportunities in modelling, acting, or dance that target teenagers eager for a break in the entertainment industry. These advertisements might appear on legitimate job sites, social media platforms, or through direct messaging. Once contact is established, traffickers use deceptive promises of fame and fortune to lure their victims into exploitative situations.
Traffickers utilise social media to find and groom potential victims. By creating fake profiles or using the profiles of previously trafficked victims, they build relationships with young people. They often study the interests, vulnerabilities, and social networks of their targets to tailor their approaches. Direct messaging features of social platforms are commonly used to establish contact and gain trust over time.

Through ongoing communication, traffickers establish a sense of trust and emotional connection with their targets. They may offer gifts, compliments, and promises of a better life and career opportunities. This grooming process may involve manipulating the child’s desire for affection, recognition, or escape from their current circumstances.
Initially, traffickers may request or coerce explicit photos or videos as part of the supposed audition or portfolio process. Over time, this can escalate to more explicit content, with traffickers using the initial images or videos as leverage (sextortion) to compel further participation under the threat of exposure.
Traffickers often attempt to isolate their victims from friends and family by sowing distrust or using the allure of an exciting, secretive career that others “wouldn’t understand.” This isolation makes it more difficult for victims to seek help or verify the legitimacy of the opportunities being presented.
As control over the victim solidifies, traffickers may move them into more overtly exploitative roles, including forced performances in adult entertainment or coercive participation in pornographic productions. These transitions are often facilitated by threats, manipulation, and escalating psychological control.
Online Gaming: Online gaming is a booming industry that, unfortunately, also provides a platform for illicit activities, including child trafficking. Traffickers can exploit online games and their associated social features as tools for manipulation, grooming, and eventually exploiting young players.
Traffickers often use the anonymous and interactive nature of online games to establish contact with potential victims. They may pose as fellow gamers, creating personas that appeal to younger players. Over time, they build trust through regular engagement, gifts (like in-game items or currencies), and seemingly genuine friendship. This grooming process may gradually escalate to more personal and potentially exploitative interactions.
Online games that feature chat rooms, private messaging, voice communication, and community forums provide multiple channels for traffickers to interact with minors. These features, while intended to enhance the gaming experience, can also be misused to foster secretive, exploitative relationships away from the oversight of parents or guardians.
The ability to create and manipulate avatars and profiles allows traffickers to conceal their true identities and intentions. They can present themselves as peers to their targets, reducing suspicion and barriers to conversation. This anonymity makes it difficult to trace and verify the identity of potential predators.
Traffickers may manipulate victims by promising or granting them in-game rewards or status. This can include exclusive access to certain game features, in-game currency, or help in advancing through game levels. Such rewards are often used as leverage to coax personal information or inappropriate images from the child.
By fostering an intense and isolated gaming relationship, traffickers aim to create a dependency that isolates the victim from real-world friends and family. This isolation can make the victim

more susceptible to manipulation and less likely to seek help or share their experiences with others.
Once a relationship and trust are established in the gaming environment, traffickers often attempt to move communication to other, less moderated platforms such as social media, instant messaging apps, or even face-to-face meetings. This step is aimed at further isolating the victim and escalating the control over them.
Traffickers may encourage victims to engage in risky behaviours, both in-game and in real life. This might include sharing sensitive personal information, sending images, or engaging in behaviours that break game rules, which can then be used to blackmail the victim.
To avoid detection, traffickers frequently use encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, and other tools that anonymise their online activities. These technologies make it harder for law enforcement to track their actions and protect potential victims.
In addition to these tactics, traffickers often use technology to their advantage. They may use encrypted messaging apps to communicate with their victims or dark web forums to advertise their services. By leveraging technology, traffickers are able to operate discreetly and evade detection by law enforcement.

II. Cryptocurrency and Payment Platforms
Cryptocurrency and payment platforms have become a significant concern when it comes to online child trafficking. The anonymity and ease of use that cryptocurrencies provide have made them a popular choice for those involved in illegal activities, including the buying and selling of children online. Payment platforms also play a crucial role in facilitating these transactions, allowing traffickers to easily transfer funds without detection.
One of the main challenges with cryptocurrencies is the difficulty in tracing transactions, making it harder for law enforcement agencies to track down and prosecute those involved in online child trafficking. Additionally, payment platforms that do not have robust security measures in place can be vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers, further complicating efforts to combat this crime.
Despite these challenges, there have been efforts to address the use of cryptocurrencies and payment platforms in online child trafficking. Some organisations have developed tools and technologies to help track and monitor suspicious transactions, while others have advocated for stricter regulations and oversight of these platforms to prevent their misuse by traffickers.
International cooperation is also crucial in combating the use of cryptocurrencies and payment platforms in online child trafficking. By sharing information and working together across borders, law enforcement agencies can better identify and dismantle networks involved in this heinous crime.

III. Dark Web Marketplaces and Forums
Dark Web marketplaces and forums play a significant role in the online child trafficking industry. These hidden corners of the internet provide a platform for traffickers to buy and sell children for exploitation. The anonymity and encryption of the Dark Web make it difficult for law enforcement to track down these criminals and rescue their victims.
One of the most disturbing aspects of Dark Web marketplaces is the ease with which traffickers can connect with buyers and sellers. These forums often have sections dedicated specifically to the buying and selling of children, with prices varying depending on the age, gender, and nationality of the victim. The lack of regulation and oversight on these platforms allows traffickers to operate with impunity.

Current Laws Addressing Online Child Trafficking
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for stronger laws to address the issue of online child trafficking. Several countries have enacted legislation specifically targeting this heinous crime, with the goal of holding perpetrators accountable and protecting vulnerable children. These laws often include provisions for increased penalties for those found guilty of online child trafficking, as well as measures to improve prevention and education efforts.
One key aspect of current laws addressing online child trafficking is the focus on technology and online platforms. Many laws now require internet service providers and social media companies to take proactive steps to prevent their platforms from being used to facilitate child trafficking. Additionally, law enforcement agencies are increasingly utilising technology to track down and prosecute those involved in online child trafficking.
Advocacy and support services for victims of online child trafficking are also an important component of current laws. Victims of online child trafficking often suffer from severe psychological trauma, and it is crucial that they have access to the support they need to heal and recover. Many countries have established specialised support services for these victims, including counselling, medical care, and legal assistance.

While there is still much work to be done, current laws addressing online child trafficking represent an important step forward in the fight against this horrific crime, including the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) and The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in the USA, the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC) in Canada, European Union Directive on Combating the Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Pornography and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command in the UK among others.

International Collaboration on Legal Frameworks On Online Child Trafficking. International collaboration on legal frameworks is crucial in the fight against online child trafficking. With the borderless nature of the internet, traffickers can easily exploit legal loopholes by operating across multiple jurisdictions.
By working together, countries can harmonise their laws and close these gaps to make it harder for traffickers to evade justice. This collaboration also allows for the sharing of information and best practices, leading to more effective enforcement efforts.
International efforts to combat online child trafficking have also been strengthened in recent years. Countries around the world are working together to share information, coordinate investigations, and prosecute offenders who operate across borders. This collaboration has led to the successful dismantling of numerous online child trafficking networks and the rescue of many victims.

One key aspect of international collaboration is the development of treaties and agreements that set common standards for combating online child trafficking. These agreements ensure that countries have a common legal framework for prosecuting offenders and protecting victims. For example, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, provide a comprehensive framework for addressing trafficking offences and promoting international cooperation.
In addition to treaties, countries also engage in multilateral initiatives and partnerships to strengthen their responses to online child trafficking. For example, the Interpol Global Task Force on Human Trafficking coordinates international law enforcement efforts and provides support to countries in their investigations. These partnerships help build trust and cooperation among countries, making it easier to track down and prosecute traffickers operating across borders.
Another important aspect of international collaboration is the sharing of resources and expertise. Countries with more advanced legal systems and technology infrastructure can assist those with limited capacity. For example, developed countries can help train law enforcement agencies in developing countries to investigate online child trafficking cases and use digital forensics tools effectively.
Overall, international collaboration on legal frameworks is essential for effectively combating online child trafficking. By working together, countries can create a more cohesive and coordinated response to this crime, making it harder for traffickers to operate with impunity. Through treaties, partnerships, and resource sharing, countries can strengthen their legal frameworks and enforcement efforts, ultimately leading to better protection for children at risk of exploitation.

 

Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigations

Digital forensics and cyber investigations play a crucial role in combating online child trafficking. In the digital age, traffickers use various online platforms and technologies to exploit vulnerable children, making it difficult for law enforcement to track and apprehend them. Digital forensics involves the collection, preservation, and analysis of electronic evidence to uncover the truth behind these heinous crimes. Cyber investigations, on the other hand, focus on tracking down perpetrators and disrupting their operations in the digital realm.

 

Challenges in Prosecuting Traffickers
Prosecuting traffickers involved in online child trafficking presents a multitude of challenges that hinder the justice system’s ability to bring these criminals to justice. One of the main obstacles is the anonymity provided by the dark web and encrypted messaging apps, which make it difficult for law enforcement to track and identify perpetrators. Traffickers often use sophisticated technology to cover their tracks, making it challenging for investigators to gather evidence against them.
Another challenge in prosecuting traffickers is the international nature of online child trafficking. Perpetrators can operate from anywhere in the world, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to coordinate efforts across borders. Different legal systems and jurisdictions further complicate the process of bringing traffickers to justice, as extradition and cooperation agreements may be lacking or ineffective.
Furthermore, the psychological effects of online child trafficking on victims can make it difficult for them to come forward and testify against their abusers. Many victims suffer from trauma, shame, and fear, which can prevent them from cooperating with law enforcement or participating in court proceedings. This not only hinders the prosecution of traffickers but also perpetuates the cycle of abuse and exploitation.
In addition to these challenges, the lack of resources and funding dedicated to combating online child trafficking poses a significant obstacle to prosecuting traffickers. Law enforcement agencies often lack the training, technology, and manpower needed to investigate and prosecute these crimes effectively. Without proper resources, cases can languish unresolved, allowing perpetrators to continue their criminal activities unchecked.
Despite these challenges, there is hope for progress in prosecuting traffickers involved in online child trafficking. By increasing awareness, funding, and international cooperation, law enforcement agencies can improve their ability to combat these heinous crimes. Additionally, advocating for policy changes and implementing stricter laws and penalties for traffickers can help deter future criminal activity and bring justice to victims of online child trafficking.

Prevention and Education Programs.
Combating child online trafficking is an urgent issue that requires coordinated efforts from various sectors, including law enforcement, educational systems, technology companies, and community organizations.

Educating children, parents and caregivers on online risks is crucial in today’s digital age, where online child trafficking is a growing concern. It is essential for parents to be aware of the potential dangers that their children may face while browsing the internet and engaging in online activities. By educating children on how to safely navigate the online world and recognise warning signs of potential predators, we can help prevent them from becoming victims of online child trafficking.
Education and prevention programs are crucial in raising awareness, equipping children, parents, and educators with the necessary tools to recognize and respond to threats, and ultimately safeguarding children from exploitation. Combating child online trafficking requires coordinated efforts from various sectors, including law enforcement, educational systems, technology companies, and community organizations.

Here are some strategies for effective prevention aimed at combating child online trafficking:
1. Digital Literacy and Safety Education
Educational programs aimed at children and teenagers should prioritise improving digital literacy by teaching them how to navigate online spaces safely. This includes understanding what personal information is and the risks that come with sharing it online, recognising suspicious behaviour and grooming tactics used by traffickers, utilising privacy settings and reporting mechanisms on social media platforms, and maintaining digital privacy and security to ensure online safety.
2. Curriculum Integration
Integrating internet safety and anti-trafficking content into the school curriculum can ensure that all students receive critical information. The curriculum should cover topics such as the nature of online trafficking, how it operates, the legal consequences of participating in or falling victim to online trafficking, and ways to safely intervene or seek help if they suspect trafficking activities.
3. Parent and Guardian Education
Programs that focus on online safety should target children as well as their parents and guardians. These programs should equip parents with the necessary knowledge and tools to monitor their children’s internet activities and discuss the risks associated with them. This includes conducting workshops on modern internet usage and potential hazards, providing guidance on how to have conversations on sensitive topics like sexual exploitation, and offering information on how to use monitoring tools and parental controls.
4. Professional Training for Educators and Social Workers
Professional training is crucial for teachers, school counsellors, and social workers to recognise signs of trafficking and to intervene appropriately. This training should include identifying indicators of children at risk or involved in online trafficking, protocols for reporting suspected trafficking and providing resources for supporting victims. It is important to equip educators and social workers with the necessary knowledge and skills to combat trafficking and protect vulnerable children.

5. Community Outreach Programs
Community outreach programs are an effective way to expand the scope of educational campaigns. These initiatives involve local businesses, community leaders, and youth organisations in raising awareness. Some ways in which these programs can be implemented include distributing informational materials, hosting community forums and discussions, and engaging local media to increase awareness.

6. Partnerships with Tech Companies
Collaborating with technology companies is crucial to creating safer online environments and developing platforms that discourage trafficking. This involves implementing stronger age verification systems, designing more effective algorithms to identify and report suspicious activities, and providing education and awareness resources directly within online services.

7. Online Campaigns and Apps
Utilising technology, such as online campaigns and apps, can be an effective way to combat trafficking by educating young people in engaging ways. The development of apps that offer quick and anonymous reporting tools, educational games and scenarios to practice safe online behaviours and connect children with help and resources without stigma can all play a role in fighting against trafficking.

8. Evaluation and Adaptation
The effectiveness of these educational and prevention programs must be continually evaluated and adapted based on emerging/new trends in online behaviour and trafficking techniques. Regular updates ensure they remain relevant and effective.
Through comprehensive and inclusive educational strategies, communities can better protect children from the dangers of online trafficking. Such efforts not only prevent trafficking but also empower young individuals with the knowledge and skills to navigate digital worlds safely.
Technology plays a dual role in online child trafficking, as both a tool for traffickers to exploit children and a resource for law enforcement to track down and rescue victims. By staying informed about the latest developments in technology and online platforms used for child trafficking, we can better equip ourselves to combat this heinous crime and protect children from harm.

Success Stories In Combating Online Child Trafficking Globally
Success stories in combating online child trafficking globally have shown that with concerted efforts and collaboration, significant progress can be made in protecting vulnerable children.
One such success story is Operation Cross Country, an annual operation led by the FBI in collaboration with international law enforcement agencies. This operation has resulted in the rescue of hundreds of children and the arrest of numerous perpetrators involved in online child trafficking networks.
Another success story is the implementation of the Child Rescue Alert system in the UK, which has proven to be an effective tool in quickly locating and rescuing abducted children. This system sends out alerts to the public, asking for their help in locating missing children, and has led to successful recoveries in several cases of online child trafficking.

Furthermore, the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online, a coalition of international organisations, law enforcement agencies, and technology companies, has been instrumental in combatting online child trafficking. Through their collaborative efforts, they have been able to identify and shut down numerous online platforms used by traffickers to exploit children, as well as rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
In addition, the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by many countries has provided a legal framework for protecting children from all forms of exploitation, including online child trafficking. This international treaty sets out the rights of children to be protected from violence, abuse, and exploitation and provides guidelines for governments to implement policies and laws to prevent and combat online child trafficking.
Overall, these success stories demonstrate that by working together at both national and international levels, significant strides can be made in combating online child trafficking and protecting vulnerable children. It is crucial for governments, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to continue to collaborate and innovate in order to effectively address this growing threat to children’s safety and well-being.
Legal implications and policies surrounding online child trafficking are complex and constantly evolving. Law enforcement agencies around the world need to work to strengthen their capabilities to investigate and prosecute traffickers operating on the Dark Web.

 

Featured Image created by Leticia Cox

Sources:
https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/288-dark-web-vendors-arrested- in-major-marketplace-seizure
https://humantraffickingfront.org/dark-web-hides-csam/
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/04/17/fact-sheet-how-dhs-combating-child-exploitation-and- abuse
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/internet-crimes-against-children-task-force-program
https://www.securitepublique.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/chld-sxl-xplttn-ntrnt/actns-nln-chld-sxl- xplttn-en.aspx
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/asia-pacific-legal-guide-child-trafficking
https://eastasiaforum.org/2024/02/20/tackling-technology-abuse-and-human-trafficking-in- asean/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42448-021-00087-5
https://www.aseanact.org/story/use-and-abuse-of-technology-in-human-trafficking-southeast- asia/

https://www.unicef.org/eap/media/4706/file https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-africa
https://www.end-violence.org/sites/default/files/paragraphs/download/Disrupting Harm – Data-
Insight 4 – Legislation addressing OCSEA.pdf\

https://www.weprotect.org/ https://missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/child-rescue-alert# https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-cross-country-2022

Onderwijsuitdagingen in Indonesië

Geschreven door Leticia Cox, Vertaald door Shoshanah Gerstenbluth

Een derde van de Indonesische bevolking bestaat uit kinderen – dat zijn ongeveer 85 miljoen jonge mensen, waarmee Indonesië het op drie na grootste kinderbestand ter wereld heeft. Onderwijs voorziet de mensheid van informatie, kennis, vaardigheden en ethiek en helpt ons onze verantwoordelijkheden tegenover de samenleving, familie en natie te begrijpen, te respecteren en na te leven. Bovendien stelt onderwijs ons in staat vooruitgang te boeken.

Onderwijs is een levenspad waarmee men leert en kennis deelt met anderen. “Onderwijs is de grote motor van persoonlijke ontwikkeling. Het is door onderwijs dat de dochter van een boer arts kan worden, de zoon van een mijnwerker het hoofd van de mijn, en het kind van landarbeiders de president van een grote natie,” aldus de voormalige Zuid-Afrikaanse president Nelson Mandela.

In Indonesië, zoals in veel delen van de wereld, zijn kinderen verplicht twaalf jaar onderwijs te volgen. Dit bestaat uit basisonderwijs (klas 1-6), lager secundair onderwijs (klas 7-9), hoger secundair onderwijs (klas 10-12) en eventueel hoger onderwijs. Jongeren kunnen kiezen tussen openbare, niet-sektarische scholen, beheerd door het Ministerie van Nationaal Onderwijs (Kemdiknas), en religieuze (islamitische, christelijke, katholieke of boeddhistische) scholen, die semi-particulier of particulier gefinancierd worden en onder het beheer van het Ministerie van Religieuze Zaken vallen.

Meer dan twee jaar na de COVID-19-pandemie worstelen zowel studenten als docenten in Indonesië en de rest van de wereld nog steeds met een ernstige leercrisis. Een rapport uit juni 2022 van UNICEF, UNESCO, de Wereldbank en anderen onthult dat naar schatting 70 procent van de 10-jarigen wereldwijd niet in staat is om een eenvoudige tekst te begrijpen, tegenover 57 procent vóór de pandemie.

Foto van Ed Us via Unsplash

De nasleep van COVID-19.

Al vóór de COVID-19-pandemie presteerde het Indonesische onderwijssysteem onder de verwachtingen van het curriculum, met aanzienlijke verschillen in prestaties tussen geslachten, regio’s, kinderen met en zonder handicap, en andere gemarginaliseerde groepen. De meeste geteste leerlingen presteerden twee niveaus onder hun eigen klasniveau. Zo bleek dat leerlingen van groep 5 gemiddeld op het leesniveau van groep 3 zaten.

Onderzoek en veldonderzoeken wijzen uit dat een van de oorzaken hiervan een gebrek aan duidelijke leerdoelen vóór aanvang van onderwijsactiviteiten was. Zonder helderheid over de te bereiken doelstellingen hadden studenten en docenten onvoldoende richting binnen het leerproces. In sommige regio’s is er zelfs een toename in het aantal basisschoolleerlingen dat niet kan lezen bij aanvang van de schoolloopbaan.

De massale sluiting van scholen en het verlies van banen als gevolg van COVID-19 hebben deze situatie verergerd. Lagere prestaties komen sterker naar voren bij kwetsbare kinderen, waaronder kinderen uit gezinnen met lage inkomens, kinderen met een handicap en kinderen uit onderontwikkelde gebieden, die het grootste risico lopen om buiten het onderwijs te vallen.

Zelfs vóór de pandemie waren kinderhuwelijken al een probleem in sommige armere regio’s. Er zijn aanwijzingen dat het aantal kinderhuwelijken tijdens de pandemie toenam, omdat gezinnen met lage inkomens probeerden hun economische lasten te verlichten.

Kinderarbeid wordt nu vaker thuis of ter ondersteuning van het huishoudelijk inkomen verricht, bijvoorbeeld in de landbouw en visserij, omdat lockdown-maatregelen de kansen op werk verder beperkten.

Ook Indonesische kinderen met een handicap staan voor grote uitdagingen. Onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat de handicap van kinderen of hun ouders van invloed is op hun leerproces en op de kans dat ze naar school terugkeren.

Slechte onderwijsvoorzieningen en infrastructuur

Slechte voorzieningen in het onderwijs en daarboven de kwaliteit van de infrastructuur vormen een groot deel van de onderwijsuitdagingen in Indonesië. Ongeveer 75 procent van de Indonesische scholen ligt in rampgevoelige gebieden. Indonesië, dat bijna 800.000 vierkante mijl beslaat, is kwetsbaar voor aardbevingen, tsunami’s, harde wind, vulkaanuitbarstingen, aardverschuivingen en overstromingen.

Ongelijke toegang tot internet en verschillen in de bevoegdheid van leerkrachten en de kwaliteit van het onderwijs vormen eveneens grote uitdagingen bij de implementatie van afstandsonderwijs. Leren op afstand, vooral voor jonge kinderen en gezien de variatie in digitale toegang binnen het land, versterkt de ongelijkheid onder gemarginaliseerde kinderen.

Lage kwaliteit van leerkrachten

Een belangrijke oorzaak van de lage onderwijskwaliteit in Indonesië is de beperkte vaardigheid van de leerkrachten, wat vaak het gevolg is van het selectieproces. In plaats van een selectie gebaseerd op professionele onderwijzers, is het aanwervingsproces vaak gericht op het voldoen aan eisen van de ambtelijke sector.

Veel leerkrachten missen de professionaliteit om hun taken uit te voeren zoals omschreven in Artikel 39 van Wet nr. 20 van 2003: lessen plannen, uitvoeren, leerresultaten beoordelen, mentorschap en opleiding geven, onderzoek verrichten en bijdragen aan de gemeenschap.

Bij de aanwerving van leerkrachten binnen het overheidsapparaat worden doorgaans geen hoge eisen gesteld aan de didactische vaardigheden die een professionele leerkracht nodig heeft.

In een recent onderzoek scoorden docenten in het onderwijssysteem die de ‘Teacher Competency Test’ (UKG) aflegden, die hun vaardigheden in lesgeven en vakkennis test, vaak lager dan de minimale norm. Het onderzoek wijst verder uit dat een aanzienlijk aantal docenten niet voldoet aan de door de overheid gestelde normen qua opleiding: dit betreft 64,09% in het lager secundair onderwijs, 61,5% in het hoger secundair onderwijs, en 10,14% in het beroepsonderwijs.

Het leraarschap vraagt om complexe vaardigheden en een sterke motivatie om studenten te begeleiden. Tegelijkertijd ligt binnen het aanwervingsproces de nadruk op nationalisme en algemene kennis, niet op onderwijsvaardigheden.

Aankomende leerkrachten die bij de selectie van essentiële competenties het hoogst scoren, maken een schriftelijke toets over de inhoud van de vakken en lesmanagement, terwijl de professionele competentie als leerkracht niet beoordeeld wordt. In het algemeen kan de huidige aanwervingsprocedure in het ambtenarenproces niet de meest vaardige leerkrachten selecteren – de nadruk ligt op nationalisme en algemene kennis in plaats van op didactiek en passie.

In het onderwijs is een “roeping” essentieel voor een leraar: een sterke motivatie om kennis over te dragen en het potentieel van studenten te ontwikkelen. Zonder deze roeping is het moeilijk om een goede leerkracht te zijn.

Geschreven door Leticia Cox, Vertaald door Shoshanah Gerstenbluth

Verwijzingen

https://ijble.com/index.php/journal/article/view/64/71

https://www.unicef.org/eap/media/9326/file/Sit An – Indonesia case study.pdf

https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/education-and-adolescents

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/81594

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/poor-quality-of-education-casts-shadow-on-indonesias-future-job-market

Foto omslag door Husniati Salma via Unsplash

ان دیکھے اور ان سنے: گمشدہ بچوں کا عالمی بحران اور ایپسٹین کیس کے اثرات

تحریر: لیٹیشیا کاکس

مترجم: ماہ نور علی

ان دیکھے اور ان سنے: گمشدہ بچوں کا عالمی بحران اور ایپسٹین کیس کے اثرات
تحریر: لیٹیشیا کاکس
مترجم: ماہ نور علی
ہر سال، دنیا بھر میں الکھوں بچے غائب ہو جاتے ہیں۔ اس کی وجوہات کئی طرح کی ہوتی ہیں: اغوا، اسمگلنگ، گھر
سے بھاگنا، اور افسوسناک صورتحال جہاں حادثات یا قدرتی آفات کے باعث معصوم جانیں ضائع ہو جاتی ہیں۔ ان
گمشدگیوں کی وجہ سے خاندانوں اور کمیونٹیز میں جو درد اور انتشار پیدا ہوتا ہے، وہ ناقابل تصور ہے، لیکن اکثر یہ
کیسز حل نہیں ہو پاتے، بچے نظر نہیں آتے، اور ان کی کہانیاں سنی نہیں جاتیں۔
جیفری ایپسٹین کا کیس، اگرچہ زیادہ تر دیگر سنگین جرائم کی وجہ سے جانا جاتا ہے، اس عالمی بحران کے ساتھ
ایسے طریقوں سے جڑا ہوا ہے جو بہت زیادہ پریشان کن ہیں۔ ایپسٹین کا کیس نہ صرف انفرادی جرم کو سامنے التا
ہے بلکہ اس سے کہیں بڑا ایک نظامی ناکامی کا مسئلہ بھی ہے جس کی جڑ میں کمزور لوگوں کا استحصال شامل ہے۔
اس بات کا جائزہ لے کر کہ کس طرح نظامی ناکامیاں ایپسٹین کے جرائم کو دہائیوں تک جاری رکھنے کی اجازت دیتی
رہیں، ہم دنیا بھر میں گمشدہ بچوں کے مسئلے کے بارے میں بہت کچھ سیکھ سکتے ہیں۔

مسئلے کا دائرہ کار
کے اندازے کے مطابق کسی بھی وقت دنیا بھر (ICMEC (بین االقوامی مرکز برائے گمشدہ اور استحصال شدہ بچوں
میں الکھوں بچے گمشدہ سمجھے جاتے ہیں۔ صرف امریکہ میں، نیشنل سینٹر فار مسنگ اینڈ ایکسپلوئٹڈ چلڈرن
کے مطابق، ہر سال تقریبا 800,000 بچے گمشدہ ہونے کی اطالع دی جاتی ہے، جو روزانہ 2,000 ً (NCMEC(
سے زیادہ کی اوسط بنتی ہے۔ عالمی سطح پر، یہ تعداد کہیں زیادہ بڑی اور بہت کم درست ہوتی ہے کیونکہ مختلف
ممالک میں ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنے اور رپورٹنگ کی صالحیتیں مختلف ہوتی ہیں۔


نظامی ناکامیاں: ایپسٹین کیس ایک آئینہ کی طرح
جیفری ایپسٹین کی مجرمانہ سرگرمیاں، جن میں نابالغوں کی اسمگلنگ اور ان کا استحصال شامل تھا، کسی حد تک
مختلف حکام اور افراد کو معلوم تھیں جو جان بوجھ کر یا الپرواہی سے انہیں نظر انداز کرتے رہے۔
ایپسٹین کا کیس معاشرتی اور نظامی مسائل کی عکاسی کرتا ہے: ان اداروں کی اکثر ناکامی جو کمزور لوگوں کی
حفاظت کے ذمہ دار ہوتے ہیں۔ اس کے جرائم کی سنگینی کے باوجود، ایپسٹین کا اتنی دیر تک انصاف سے بچنے کی
صالحیت ظاہر کرتی ہے کہ کس طرح وہ لوگ جو طاقت اور وسائل رکھتے ہیں، نظاموں کو اپنی مرضی کے مطابق
ڈھال لیتے ہیں۔
ایپسٹین کی کہانی یہ بھی ظاہر کرتی ہے کہ بین االقوامی قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کے تعاون اور قانونی ڈھانچوں
میں نابالغوں کے ساتھ سرحد پار جرائم سے نمٹنے میں کیا مسائل ہیں۔ ایپسٹین کا نجی جزیرہ کیریبین میں اور اس کے
دنیا بھر کے دورے، جو اس کی دولت اور تعلقات کی بدولت ممکن ہوئے، ظاہر کرتے ہیں کہ جب کوئی شخص وسائل
رکھتا ہے تو سرحدوں کو عبور کرنا کتنا آسان ہو جاتا ہے، جس سے نابالغوں کو محفوظ رکھنا اور ان کا پتہ لگانا مزید
مشکل ہو جاتا ہے۔

عالمی نیٹ ورکس کا رابطہ
ایپسٹین کیس میں اجاگر کیے گئے مسائل کسی ایک ملک تک محدود نہیں ہیں؛ یہ عالمی ہیں۔ بچے سرحدوں کے پار
اسمگل کیے جاتے ہیں، اور ان کی گمشدگیاں اکثر عالمی برادری کی نظر سے اوجھل رہتی ہیں۔ ممالک کے درمیان
گمشدہ بچوں کو تالش کرنے اور واپس النے کے لئے مضبوط طریقہ کار کی عدم موجودگی عالمی حفاظتی جال میں
ایک بڑی دراڑ ہے۔
میں جب جنوب مشرقی ایشیا میں سونامی آئی، ہزاروں بچے الپتہ ہو گئے۔ نہ صرف یہ تباہی بلکہ اس کے بعد 2004
پیدا ہونے والی بدانتظامی کو اسمگلروں نے کمزور بچوں کو اغوا کرنے کے لیے استعمال کیا۔ اسی طرح کے واقعات
دیگر بحرانوں میں بھی دیکھے گئے ہیں، جن میں قدرتی آفات، جنگیں، اور اقتصادی بحران شامل ہیں۔

ٹیکنالوجی اور ڈیٹا کا کردار
جدید ٹیکنالوجی بچوں کی گمشدگی کے بحران کو حل کرنے میں نمایاں مدد دے سکتی ہے۔ ڈیٹا مینجمنٹ، چہرے کی
پہچان، اور حقیقی وقت میں معلومات کے تبادلے کی جدید ایجادات اس بات کو تبدیل کر سکتی ہیں کہ کس طرح حکام

اور تنظیمیں گمشدہ بچوں کا سراغ لگاتی اور انہیں بازیاب کرتی ہیں۔ تاہم، اسی ٹیکنالوجی کو مجرم بھی استعمال کر
سکتے ہیں، جیسا کہ اسمگلروں اور مجرموں کے ذریعہ آن الئن بچوں کو نشانہ بنانے کے طریقے میں دیکھا گیا ہے۔

عالقائی اور بین االقوامی قانونی سفارشات اور اقدامات
اس بحران سے نمٹنے کے لیے مربوط عالمی اقدامات کی ضرورت ہے۔ سب سے پہلے، بچوں کی گمشدگی کے کیسز
کی اطالع دینے اور ان کا جواب دینے کے لیے ایک بین االقوامی معیار ہونا چاہیے، جیسا کہ امریکہ میں امبر الرٹ
سسٹم ہے، لیکن عالمی سطح پر۔ اس نظام کو بین االقوامی قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کے تعاون سے تعاون کرنا
چاہیے اور ایسے معاہدوں سے تقویت ملنی چاہیے جو بچوں کی فالح و بہبود کو قومی مفادات اور سرکاری
بیوروکریسی سے باالتر رکھیں۔
مزید یہ کہ احتیاطی تدابیر بھی اہم ہیں۔ تعلیمی پروگرام جو بچوں کو ممکنہ خطرات کے بارے میں سکھاتے ہیں، اور
والدین اور کمیونٹی کے افراد کو گمشدگی اور اسمگلنگ کے نشانات پہچاننے کی تربیت دیتے ہیں، انتہائی اہم ہیں۔ اس
کے عالوہ، اقتصادی اور سماجی ڈھانچوں کو مضبوط بنانا بھی ضروری ہے تاکہ خاندان ایسے فیصلے نہ کریں جو ان
کے بچوں کو خطرے میں ڈال سکتے ہیں۔

نتیجہ
گمشدہ بچوں کا مسئلہ ایک کثیر الجہتی مسئلہ ہے جو مقامی، بین االقوامی اور نظامی عوامل سے جڑا ہوا ہے۔ جیفری
ایپسٹین کا اسکینڈل اس بات کی واضح مثال ہے کہ کس طرح وہ نظام جو کمزوروں کی حفاظت کے لیے بنائے گئے
ہیں، ناکام ہو سکتے ہیں، اور طاقت اور اللچ کے اثرات سے متاثر ہو جاتے ہیں۔ ان ناکامیوں کا جائزہ لے کر اور ہر
بچے کے تحفظ کے لیے از سر نو عزم کر کے، معاشرہ اس سنگین بحران سے نمٹنے کے لیے پیش رفت کر سکتا
ہے۔
بروکن چاک ہائی پروفائل کیسز جیسے ایپسٹین کیس سے سبق حاصل کرتا ہے تاکہ مجرموں کو انصاف کے کٹہرے
میں النے اور مستقبل میں ہونے والے استحصال کو روکنے کے لیے نظامی اصالحات کی ضرورت پر زور دیا جا
سکے۔
ہر گمشدہ بچہ کئی ناکامیوں کی نمائندگی کرتا ہے—حفاظت میں کوتاہی، نظام میں خال، یا بحران میں مبتال خاندان یا
کمیونٹی۔ یہ ضروری ہے کہ ان کی کہانیاں، ایپسٹین کی کہانی کی طرح، سائے میں نہ رہیں بلکہ انہیں روشنی میں الیا
جائے تاکہ وہ تبدیلی کا محرک بنیں اور عمل کو متاثر کریں۔
بروکن چاک کی گمشدہ بچوں کے بارے میں تفصیلی رپورٹ جو جلد شائع ہو گی، ایپسٹین کیس کو ایک مرکزی نقطہ
کے طور پر استعمال کرے گی تاکہ وسیع تر نظامی مسائل کا جائزہ لیا جا سکے اور بہتری کے لیے موثر حکمت
عملیوں کی تجویز پیش کی جا سکے۔

حال ہی میں ہائی پروفائل کیسز جیسے کہ شان “ڈیڈی” کومبس کی تحقیقات کے پیش نظر انسانی اسمگلنگ کے بارے
میں آگاہی بڑھانے کی ضرورت ہے۔ ان کہانیوں کو کور کرنا ضروری ہے کیونکہ یہ ایک تعلیمی ذریعہ کا کام کرتی
ہیں اور اس تباہ کن مجرمانہ صنعت کے بارے میں عالمی شعور بڑھانے میں مدد دیتی ہیں۔

Sources:
International Missing Children statistics
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=children+missing+around+the+
wolrd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8


Child Sexual Abuse Material: Model Legislation & Global Review 10th Edition, 2023
Who was Jeffrey Epstein, and what are the court documents about?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/03/who-is-jeffrey-epstein-list-courtdocuments-explained


Jeffrey Epstein’s Island Visitors Exposed by Data
Brokerhttps://www.wired.com/story/jeffrey-epstein-island-visitors-data-broker-leak/


Epstein Files: Full List Of High-Profile People Named In Unsealed Docs
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/jeffrey-epstein-epstein-files-full-list-of-high-profilepeople-named-in-unsealed-court-docs-4810003
FBI’s $139M settlement with Larry Nassar victims breathes life into Epstein accusers
lawsuit https://www.foxnews.com/us/fbis-139m-settlement-larry-nassar-victimsbreathes-life-epstein-accusers-lawsuit

 

Unseen and Unheard: The Global Crisis of Missing Children and the Shadows Cast by Epstein Case

By Leticia Cox for Broken Chalk  

Every year, millions of children around the world disappear. The reasons are manifold: abduction, trafficking, runaways, and the tragic situations where young lives are lost to accidents or natural disasters. The pain and turmoil that these disappearances cause in families and communities are unimaginable, yet too often, these cases remain unresolved, the children unseen, and their stories unheard. 

The case of Jeffrey Epstein, though primarily known for other grave crimes, crosses with this global crisis in ways that are illuminating and deeply disturbing. Epstein’s case brought to light not just individual criminality but a broader systemic failure that has, at its core, the exploitation of the vulnerable. By examining how systemic failures allowed Epstein’s crimes to continue unchecked for decades, we can learn much about the broader issue of missing children around the world. 

The Scope of the Problem 

The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) estimates that millions of children are considered missing around the world at any given time. In the United States alone, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reports that approximately 800,000 children are reported missing each year, which averages more than 2,000 per day. Globally, the numbers are much more significant and far less precise due to varying data collection and reporting capabilities in different countries. 

Systemic Failures: The Epstein Case as a Mirror 

Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities, which included the trafficking and abuse of minors, were known to some extent by various authorities and individuals who chose, through action or inaction, to ignore them.  

Epstein’s case reflects a broader societal and systemic issue: the frequent failure of institutions supposed to protect the vulnerable. Despite the gravity of his offences, Epstein’s ability to evade justice for so long underscores how those with power and resources can manipulate systems. 

The Epstein saga also highlights the problematic nature of international law enforcement cooperation and legal frameworks when dealing with cross-border crimes involving minors. Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean and his travels across the globe facilitated by his wealth and connections expose how easily borders can be crossed when one has the means, making it more difficult to track and safeguard minors. 

Connecting Global Networks 

The issues highlighted by the Epstein case are not confined to one country; they are global. Children are trafficked across borders, and their disappearances often go unnoticed by the worldwide community. The lack of strong mechanisms to track and recover missing children across nations is a gaping hole in the global safety net. 

In 2004, when a tsunami hit Southeast Asia, thousands of children went missing. Not only the disaster but also the chaos that followed was exploited by traffickers to abduct vulnerable children. Similar practices have been witnessed in other crises, including natural disasters, wars, and economic collapses. 

Image by Leticia Cox.

The Role of Technology and Data 

Modern technology has the potential to aid significantly in addressing the crisis of missing children. Data management, facial recognition, and real-time information-sharing innovations can transform how authorities and organisations track and recover missing children. However, this same technology can also be exploited by perpetrators, as seen in the online grooming tactics used by traffickers and abusers. 

Regional and International Law Recommendations and Actions 

Addressing the crisis requires coordinated global action. First, there needs to be an international standard for reporting and responding to cases of missing children, akin to the Amber Alert system in the United States, but on a global scale. This system should be supported by international law enforcement cooperation and empowered by treaties that prioritise the welfare of children above national interests and bureaucratic red tape. 

Furthermore, preventive measures are crucial. Education programs that teach children about potential dangers, as well as training for parents and community members to recognise signs of grooming and trafficking, are vital. Additionally, strengthening economic and social structures can reduce vulnerability by ensuring families are not forced to make choices that could put their children at risk. 

Conclusion 

The issue of missing children is a multifaceted problem that stems from local, international, and the issue of missing children is a complex and urgent problem influenced by local, international, and systemic factors. The Jeffrey Epstein scandal starkly illustrates how systems meant to safeguard the most vulnerable can fail, undermined by the corrupting forces of power and greed. By examining these failures and recommitting to the protection of every child, society can begin to tackle this severe crisis. 

Broken Chalk outlines lessons from high-profile cases like Epstein’s to emphasise the necessity of bringing perpetrators to justice and enacting systemic reforms to prevent future abuses.  

Each missing child represents a multitude of failures—a breakdown in protection, a lapse in systems, or a community or family in crisis. It is imperative that their stories, unlike Epstein’s, are not relegated to the shadows but brought into the light where they can inform change and inspire action. 

Broken Chalk’s forthcoming detailed report on global child disappearances will use the Epstein case as a focal point to explore broader systemic issues and suggest effective strategies for improvement. 

There is a critical need to increase awareness about human trafficking, especially in light of recent high-profile cases like the investigations into Sean “Diddy” Combs. It is crucial to cover these stories as they act as an educational tool and help raise global awareness about this pervasive and profoundly destructive criminal industry. 


Sources:  

International Missing Children statistics  https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=children+missing+around+the+wolrd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 

Child Sexual Abuse Material: Model Legislation & Global Review 10th Edition, 2023  

Who was Jeffrey Epstein, and what are the court documents about?  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/03/who-is-jeffrey-epstein-list-court-documents-explained  

Jeffrey Epstein’s Island Visitors Exposed by Data Brokerhttps://www.wired.com/story/jeffrey-epstein-island-visitors-data-broker-leak/ 

Epstein Files: Full List Of High-Profile People Named In Unsealed Docs https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/jeffrey-epstein-epstein-files-full-list-of-high-profile-people-named-in-unsealed-court-docs-4810003 

FBI’s $139M settlement with Larry Nassar victims breathes life into Epstein accusers lawsuit https://www.foxnews.com/us/fbis-139m-settlement-larry-nassar-victims-breathes-life-epstein-accusers-lawsuit 

Universal Periodic Review of the Comoros

This report drafted by Broken Chalk contributes to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the Union of the Comoros. This report focuses exclusively on human rights issues in Comoros’s education field.

  • Comoros, formally known as the Union of The Comoros, is an independent country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean.
  • Comoros stands as one of the most economically disadvantaged and underdeveloped countries globally. The three islands contend with insufficient transportation connections, a youthful and swiftly growing population, and a scarcity of natural resources.
  • There are two educational systems concurrently in Comoros: l’École Quranic (Koranic School) and l’École Officielle (Official School). Almost all children attend a Quranic school for 2 or 3 years before beginning primary school. L’Enseignement elémentaire(Primary school) is six years, starting at age six.
  • In Comoros, it is mandated by law that every child must undergo eight years of schooling from the age of seven to fifteen. This education system consists of six years dedicated to primary education, catering to students aged six to twelve, succeeded by an additional seven years of secondary school education.
  • Today, the education system comprises the formal school, taught mainly in French, and the Koranic school due to the extended majority of Comorans being Sunni Muslims.
  • Often, due to financial issues, many families send their children to Koranic schools, where students can receive an Islamic education for free.
  • This report first explores the main issues in the educational field in Comoros, reflecting on the recommendations the country received in the 3rd cycle UN UPR review in 2019 and its progress since. Finally, Broken Chalk offers some suggestions to Comoros on further improving its human rights in the educational field.

By Leticia Cox

Download the PDF.

46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Comoros_S

References

https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/km-index

Letter by the High Commissioner to the Foreign Minister, 2018. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/lib-docs/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session32/KM/HC_letter_Comoros_ENG.pdf

https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/72696/74026/F-92095240/COM-72696.pdf

https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/lib-docs/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session32/KM/Infographic_Comoros.pdf

https://bnn.network/breaking-news/comorian-teachers-announces-strike-over-unfulfilled-promises-to-improve-welfare/

https://www.unicef.org/media/135826/file/Comoros-2022-COAR.pdf

https://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/country-profile/Comoros_SDG4-Profile.pdf

https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/354101559590231457/pdf/Comoros-Towards-a-More-United-and-Prosperous-Union-of-Comoros-Systematic-Country-Diagnostic.pdf

Cover image by aboodi vesakaran via Pexels

Unlawful Deportation of Ukrainian Children to Russia

Written by Leticia Cox

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, it’s believed that more than 16,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia.

United Nations investigators have stated that Russia’s compelled displacement of Ukrainian children to Russia or areas under Russian control constitutes a war crime. According to the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, there is evidence of other war crimes, including hospital attacks, rape, torture, and wilful killings.

The Geneva Conventions and other international laws and agreements determine the rules for war crimes. Murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment or severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law and torture are known as “crimes against humanity”– in some cases, “genocide”.

Military forces can’t deliberately attack civilians or the infrastructure they depend on, including power stations or water sources. Weapons, such as anti-personnel landmines and chemical or biological weapons, are banned, and the sick and the wounded must be cared for, including injured soldiers, who have rights as prisoners of war.

In March, The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague formally indicted the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Children’s Commissioner, on charges of orchestrating the mass abduction of Ukrainian children.

As a result, an international arrest warrant was issued for Putin, highlighting the pace with which the international legal community has pursued allegations of war crimes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

These instances mark the ICC’s first cases since its prosecutors initiated an investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Ukraine the previous February.

The pre-trial judges of the court have asserted that there are “substantial grounds to believe that each suspect holds responsibility for the war crime of forcibly displacing the population, as well as the unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, to the harm of Ukrainian children.” The judges chose to disclose the suspects’ names to prevent further offences.

Initial reports appeared in the previous spring, revealing that Ukrainian children residing in occupied territories were being transported to Russia, with some even being adopted by Russian families. While Russia framed its actions as a humanitarian effort to rescue Ukrainian children from the war, Ukraine has accused Russia of committing genocide and characterizing these actions as war crimes.

Who are the children affected, and where do they come from?

The purported victims encompass children taken from Ukrainian state institutions within the occupied regions, children whose parents had sent them to Russian-administered “summer camps” from which they never returned, children whose parents were detained by Russian occupying forces, and children orphaned due to the conflict.

Most Ukrainian children captured by Russia originate from the regions currently occupied in the south and east of Ukraine. These regions include Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk, along with a smaller area in the Mykolaiv region.

Russia has acknowledged holding at least 1,400 Ukrainian children it designates as orphans, although it indicated that at least 2,000 had entered Russia unaccompanied. Additionally, several hundred children from the occupied areas remain in Russia after attending “re-education” camps with parental consent, yet were not returned as expected.

Since the invasion, approximately 400 Ukrainian orphans have been adopted by Russian families, as reported by the Ukrainian Regional Center for Human Rights, which based its assessment on statements from the Russian government.

Russia asserts that an additional 1,000 orphans are awaiting adoption. Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Children’s Commissioner, has recounted “adopting” a 15-year-old child from Mariupol, a city in southeastern Ukraine devastated and seized by Russian forces.

Nonetheless, many of these Ukrainian children have surviving relatives diligently searching for them. Roughly 90% of Ukrainian children in state care during the invasion were classified as “social orphans,” indicating they had family members. Still, these relatives lacked the means to care for them.

The Russian government’s declarations regarding the orphans withhold their identities and pertinent details, making it challenging for Ukrainian and international authorities to identify and monitor them.

In certain instances, relatives have recognized children through videos disseminated by Russian state media, initiating efforts to secure their return. There are also documented cases of children ending up in Russian state care after fleeing the conflict in Ukraine via evacuation buses to Russia, as well as instances where children were separated from their parents in Russian filtration camps.

What are the “re-education” summer camps?

Over 6,000 Ukrainian children from the occupied areas attended summer camps funded by the Russian government. Several hundred of these children have not been reunited with their families. These camps, described as “re-education camps” in a February study by Yale University, were promoted by the occupying authorities as a means for children to experience peace from the war.

Since the onset of the conflict, even children as young as four months residing in occupied territories have been transported to 43 camps across Russia, including in the annexed Crimea and Siberia, for education with a pro-Russian patriotic and military focus.

Some parents have managed to retrieve their children by embarking on arduous journeys from Ukraine through Poland and the Baltics to southern Russia. Others have entrusted clandestine networks of anti-Putin volunteers with the power of attorney to facilitate their children’s extraction from Russia. However, videos released by regional Russian occupying authorities in November revealed hundreds of children still residing in these camps.

The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide forbids the “forcible transfer of children of the group to another group,” the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits the “illicit transfer and non-return of children abroad.” The specific international law section under which the ICC intends to pursue this case remains uncertain.

Russia claims its actions are intended to protect Ukrainian children from the conflict. Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for Putin, has additionally stated that Russia does not acknowledge the authority of the ICC.

“The decisions of the international criminal court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view,” the foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on her Telegram channel. “Russia is not a party to the Rome statute of the international criminal court and bears no obligations under it.”

Can President Putin be arrested and tried by the ICC?

Currently, President Putin of Russia exerts undisputed authority within his homeland, making it unlikely that the Kremlin would hand him over to the ICC. As long as he stays in Russia, Putin faces no risk of arrest.

However, if Putin were to leave the country, the potential for detention would arise. Considering the substantial restrictions on his international mobility due to existing sanctions, it is unlikely that he would travel to a jurisdiction that aims to prosecute him.

Since the Russian military’s incursion into Ukraine in February 2022, Putin’s travels have been limited to just eight nations. Seven are considered part of Russia’s historical sphere of influence due to their Soviet Union heritage. The exception is Iran, where he met with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in July of the preceding year. Given Iran’s support for Russia’s military efforts through equipment supply, a return visit to Tehran would probably not endanger Putin.

There is an unlikely scenario that President Putin and Ms. Lvova-Belova will face a trial despite international arrest warrants and charges against them. Not only does Russia not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, established in 2002 by the Rome Statute, this statute asserts that each nation should exercise its criminal jurisdiction over those accountable for international crimes.

The ICC only intervenes if a state can not conduct investigations and prosecutions. While 123 nations have accepted this statute, Russia and others are exceptions. Some countries, including Ukraine, have signed but not ratified the treaty.

The international community interprets the arrest warrant as a signal against the violations of international law in Ukraine. The ICC’s decision to publicize these warrants arises from the ongoing nature of these crimes, intending to deter further offences. Russia’s response has primarily been to dismiss these warrants as insignificant. The Kremlin denies any wrongdoing by its forces in Ukraine, and Putin’s spokesperson labelled the ICC’s decision as “outrageous and unacceptable.”

Given Russia’s defiance, it appears unlikely that the ICC’s actions will significantly influence the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Consequently, Putin’s military endeavours are likely to persist unabated.

Sources: 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64992727

Universal Periodic Review of Central African Republic

  • This report drafted by Broken Chalk contributes to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the Central African Republic. This report focuses exclusively on human rights issues in Central Africa Republic’s education field.
  • The Central African Republic, a landlocked country in the heart of Africa, stands among the world’s most impoverished nations. It grapples with a turbulent past marked by conflicts, instability, and mass displacement, which present significant obstacles to its peaceful progress. One of the pressing issues confronting the nation is the profound educational crisis it faces. Regarded as one of the most challenging environments for children to grow up in globally, the country is plagued by a critical problem of insufficient access to education that is both of high quality and safe.
  • Approximately two-thirds of children in the Central African Republic either do not attend school regularly or are deprived of educational opportunities.
  • In the previous UPR cycle, the Central African Republic was reviewed by UPR WG 31 in November 2018. It received 207 recommendations and supported 179 recommendations at the adoption of its UPR outcome at Human Rights Council 40 in March 2019 (an increase of 1% with respect to the 2nd cycle).
  • Supported recommendations relate to Legal and general framework of implementation, universal and cross-cutting issues, civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights (including rights to education), women’s rights, and rights of other vulnerable groups and persons.
  • This report first explores the main issues in the educational field in the Central African Republic, reflecting on the recommendations the country received in the 3rd cycle UN UPR review in 2018 and its progress since. Finally, Broken Chalk offers some suggestions to the Central African Republic on further improving its human rights in the educational field.
  • As per the letter by the High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs[], issues were raised explicitly for the right to education, which included making necessary measures to ensure universal and free access to education, particularly for the most marginalised and disadvantaged populations.
  • Making efforts to improve school infrastructure and seeking the assistance of international partners to that end; tackling the root causes of school dropout; and implementing a social transfer scheme for the poorest households to ensure equitable access to education.
  • Making education and the restoration of the education system a priority in the peace and reconciliation initiatives, taking practical and adequate measures to prevent the parties to the conflict from requisitioning schools, and ensuring that demobilised child soldiers have access to education.
  • Adopting an inclusive education policy, particularly for girls, children with disabilities and indigenous children, and sustainably restoring access to education, including internally displaced children, by implementing non-formal education programmes.

By Leticia Cox

Download the PDF.

45th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Central_African_Republic

Cover image by PxHere.

Πώς οι Ταλιμπάν κατάργησαν τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών στο Αφγανιστάν

by Leticia Cox

Όταν μιλάμε για τους Ταλιμπάν, εννοούμε καταπίεση της γυναίκας, υποβάθμιση της θέσης της και του ρόλου της στην κοινωνία. Όταν μιλάμε για τους Ταλιμπάν, εννοούμε ότι οι γυναίκες δεν έχουν πρόσβαση στην εκπαίδευση και στην εργασία, αλλά ασχολούνται μόνο με τις δουλειές στο σπίτι και την ανατροφή των παιδιών. Αυτό σημαίνει καταπάτηση των θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων για τις γυναίκες που ζουν με φόβο και χωρίς αξιοπρέπεια.

Η πλειοψηφία στο Αφγανιστάν, μεταξύ αυτών και κάποιοι Ταλιμπάν, δεν πιστεύει πως οι γυναίκες και τα κορίτσια πρέπει να αποκλείονται από την εκπαίδευση, καθώς αυτό θα έχει συνέπειες σ’ όλο το έθνος.

Μετά την ανακοίνωση για την απαγόρευση τους στα πανεπιστήμια, φοιτητές διαμαρτυρήθηκαν για την απόφαση αυτή και πολλοί καθηγητές παραιτήθηκαν.

Μουσουλμανικές χώρες όπως η Τουρκία, η Σαουδική Αραβία, το Πακιστάν και το Κατάρ εξέφρασαν για την θλίψη τους και προέτρεψαν τους Ταλιμπάν να αναιρέσουν την απόφαση.

”Η απόφαση αυτή δεν βασίζεται στην θρησκεία ή στην κουλτούρα” εξηγεί η 26χρονη Husna Jalal πτυχιούχος Πολιτικών Επιστημών από την Καμπούλ.

Η Jalal έφυγε από το Αφγανιστάν πέρυσι τον Αύγουστο, αφού οι Ταλιμπάν πήραν υπό τον έλεγχό τους την Καμπούλ. Η Jalal εργαζόταν για 4 χρόνια στην Καμπούλ, αφού πήρε το πτυχίο της, αλλά όπως πολλές εργαζόμενες Αφγανές γυναίκες, κατάλαβε ότι θα επιβαλλόταν αυστηρή Σαρία σύντομα, μετά την κατάληψη της χώρας από τους Ταλιμπάν.

”Με στεναχωρεί να βλέπω να παραβιάζονται τα θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα των αδερφών μου. Τις είδα να βγαίνουν στον δρόμο ζητώντας ελευθερία και ισότητα και πώς οι δυνάμεις των Ταλιμπάν διέλυσαν με την βία το πλήθος και καταπάτησαν την ελευθερία του λόγου” λέει η Jalal. ”Άνθρωποι από όλο τον κόσμο χρειάζεται να ενώσουν τις φωνές τους για τις αδερφές μου, οι Ταλιμπάν μας έχουν καταστρέψει όλες τις ελπίδες”.

Οι Ταλιμπάν, γνωστοί ως Ταλίμπ, που ήθελαν να τελειώσουν τους πολέμαρχους στο Αφγανιστάν με την αυστηρότερη επιβολή Σαρίας από το 1996 κατέλαβαν την χώρα το Ισλαμικό Εμιράτο του Αφγανιστάν δια της βίας το 2021.

Εδώ και δεκαετίες η Σαρία είναι ένα από τα πιο αμφιλεγόμενα θέματα παγκοσμίως. Το Ευρωπαϊκό Δικαστήριο για τα Δικαιώματα του Ανθρώπου (ΕΔΔΑ)  έχει κρίνει αρκετές υποθέσεις σχετικά με την Σαρία τονίζοντας ότι ”η Σαρία έρχεται σε αντίθεση με θεμελιώδεις αρχές της δημοκρατίας”. Μερικές παραδοσιακές πρακτικές οδηγούν στην παραβίαση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων, ειδικά στις γυναίκες και στο δικαίωμά τους στην παιδεία.

Όταν ήρθαν οι Ταλιμπάν, κατάργησαν το υπουργείο για την Γυναίκα. Οι γυναίκες σταδιακά απομακρύνθηκαν από τις οθόνες της τηλεόρασης. Δεκάδες χιλιάδες γυναίκες από διάφορα μαγαζιά κατέληξαν στην ανεργία. Απαγορεύτηκε να απομακρύνονται από το σπίτι τους σε απόσταση 72 χιλιομέτρων χωρίς να συνοδεύονται από κάποιον συγγενή τους. Οι γυναίκες εξαφανίστηκαν από την κοινωνική ζωή.  Οι υπηρεσίες υγείας είναι για αυτές περιορισμένες, οι ευκαιρίες στην εργασία είναι περιορισμένες και έχασαν το δικαίωμα στην παιδεία.

Η πρόσφατη ανακοίνωση των Ταλιμπάν να απαγορεύσουν μέχρι νεωτέρας τις γυναίκες από τα πανεπιστήμια της χώρας είναι μια κατάφωρη παραβίαση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων τους, όπως ορίζουν διάφορες συμβάσεις παγκοσμίως.

”Το Ισλάμ το αναφέρει ρητά. Το Ισλάμ προτρέπει άνδρες και γυναίκες να αναζητήσουν την γνώση. Όσο για το Κοράνι που αναφέρεται στους ανθρώπους, συμβουλεύει άνδρες και γυναίκες ν’ αποκτήσουν την γνώση, να βρουν την αλήθεια, ν’ αναπτυχθούν και να γίνουν τέλειοι άνθρωποι” δήλωσε ο κάτοχος διδακτορικού διπλώματος στην Ισλαμική Θεολογία Δρ Ali Unsal σε πρόσφατη συνέντευξή του στο  Broken Chalk.

O Δρ. Ali Unsal είναι ένας έμπειρος συγγραφέας, ερευνητής, δάσκαλος και ιεροκήρυκας με γνώσεις στην Ισλαμική Θεολογία και στο Ισλαμικό Δίκαιο. Ο Δρ. Unsal ολοκλήρωσε την διδακτορική του μελέτη στην Ισλαμική Θεολογία και τις μεταπτυχιακές και προπτυχιακές του σπουδές στην Τουρκία. Έχει ζήσει αρκετά χρόνια στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες όπου εμπλούτισε τις ακαδημαϊκές και επαγγελματικές του γνώσεις, καθώς ήρθε σε επαφή με Μουσουλμάνους και μη μέσω σεμιναρίων, εργαστηρίων, συμβουλευτικής, υπηρεσιών σε τοπική κοινότητα και ακαδημαϊκών κειμένων. Ήταν επικεφαλής του Ινστιτούτου Ισλαμικών και Τουρκικών Σπουδών στο Fairfax στη Βιρτζίνια.

Ο Δρ. Unsal διοργανώνει πάνελ, σεμινάρια και συζητήσεις με ακαδημαϊκούς από διαφόρες χώρες και μιλάει άπταιστα Αγγλικά, Τουρκικά, Αραβικά, Μπαχάσα την γλώσσα της Ινδονησίας και Ταταρικά.

Σύμφωνα με τον Δρ. Unsal, ο Μωάμεθ ενθαρρύνει την εκπαίδευση και την ανατροφή των κοριτσιών, τα οποία ειδικά έχουν δεχθεί πολύ μίσος και έχουν χάσει την πραγματική τους θέση μέσα στην ιστορία. Για παράδειγμα, ένα από τα Χαντίθ αναφέρει: ”Μ’ αυτόν που αναθρέφει δύο κορίτσια μέχρι να ενηλικιωθούν είμαστε μαζί του μέχρι την Ημέρα της Κρίσης” εξηγεί ο Δρ. Unsal.

Η Αΐσα, σύζυγος του Μωμάμεθ, ήταν εξέχουσα προσωπικότητά στην κοινωνία της. Καθένας ερχόταν και μάθαινε από αυτήν ό,τι χρειαζόταν. Στην ιστορία του Ισλάμ οι γυναίκες κατείχαν μια σημαντική θέση στην επιστημονική και πολιτιστική ζωή. Συνεχίζοντας την εκπαίδευση σε μια ανεπίσημη δομή στον ισλαμικό κόσμο και κοντά σ’ έναν δάσκαλο παρά στο σχολείο ήταν πιο εύκολο για τις γυναίκες να διδαχθούν από κάποιον λόγιο στον κοντινό τους κύκλο. Ανάμεσα στους δασκάλους του Taceddin es-Subki, ενός από τους μεγάλους λόγιους του Ισλάμ, που άκουσε και έμαθε Χαντίθ, αναφέρονται 19 γυναίκες. Ο Suyuti έμαθε Χαντίθ από 33, ο Ibn-i Hacer 53 και ο Ibn-i Asakir 80 γυναίκες” δήλωσε ο Δρ. Unsal.

Πέρυσι στις 24 Αυγούστου οι υπουργοί Εξωτερικών των χωρών στην σύνοδο G7 προέτρεψαν τους Ταλιμπάν ν’ άρουν τις απαγορεύσεις στην εκπαίδευση των γυναικών προειδοποιώντας ότι ”οι διακρίσεις βάσει φύλου μπορεί να οδηγήσουν σε έγκλημα κατά της ανθρωπότητας που διώκεται”.

Αρκετά μέσα ενημέρωσης ανέφεραν πως οι δυνάμεις των Ταλιμπάν έξω από τα πανεπιστήμια στην Καμπούλ, μετά την απαγόρευση, δεν επέτρεπαν στις γυναίκες την είσοδο στα πανεπιστήμια, ενώ άφηναν τους άνδρες να εισέλθουν.

Ο υπουργός Παιδείας, Nida Mohammad  Nadim, πρώην κυβερνήτης, αρχηγός της αστυνομίας και στρατιωτικός ήταν κατά της εκπαίδευσης των γυναικών λέγοντας ότι έρχεται σε αντίθεση με τις αξίες του Ισλάμ και του Αφγανιστάν.

”Κατά την γνώμη μου δεν έχει να κάνει με το Ισλάμ” τονίζει ο Δρ. Unsal. ”Δεν συμφωνεί καθόλου με τις παραδόσεις των Παστούν. Σύμφωνα μ’ αυτές, μια γυναίκα πρέπει να μένει μόνο στο σπίτι, να μαγειρεύει,  να γεννάει παιδιά και να μην βγαίνει έξω, αν δεν χρειάζεται. Αυτό δεν έχει να κάνει με το Ισλάμ. Η σύζυγος του Προφήτη, Χατιτζέ, ήταν μεγάλη επιχειρηματίας. Οι γυναίκες συμμετείχαν σ’ όλους τους τομείς της κοινωνικής ζωής. Στην αγορά, στο τζαμί. O Hz Omer διόρισε μια γυναίκα ονόματι Sifa ως υπεύθυνη να επιβλέπει το μπαζάρ”.

Ο υπουργός Nadim είπε επίσης στα μέσα πως η απαγόρευση είναι απαραίτητη για πολλούς λόγους: αποφεύγεται η επαφή των δύο φύλων στα πανεπιστήμια, οι γυναίκες δεν συμμορφώνονται με τον ενδυματολογικό κώδικα, οι φοιτήτριες πηγαίνουν σ’ άλλες επαρχίες και δεν ζουν με τις οικογένειές τους και οι σπουδές με συγκεκριμένο αντικείμενο και μαθήματα παραβιάζουν τις αρχές του Ισλάμ. Αυτοί οι λόγοι δεν φαίνεται να πείθουν την κοινή γνώμη.

Γιατί οι Ταλιμπάν περιόρισαν την εκπαίδευση των γυναικών; Το Ισλάμ δεν απαγορεύει την εκπαίδευση των γυναικών, άρα γιατί το έκαναν; 

”Κατά την γνώμη μου, δύο είναι οι λόγοι” εξηγεί ο Δρ. Unsal. ”Δεν έχουν εμπειρία στην διακυβέρνηση της χώρας. Δεν μπορούν να αφουγκραστούν σωστά την κοινωνία. Έχουν ακόμα τη νοοτροπία της φυλής τους. Γι’ αυτό κάνουν λάθη και δεν μπορούν να αγκαλιάσουν τους πάντες στην κοινωνία.

Το δεύτερο είναι πως διακατέχονται από άγνοια. Ερμηνεύουν το Ισλάμ βάσει της φυλετικής τους παράδοσης. Δυστυχώς, αυτό έρχεται σ’ αντίθεση με την οικουμενικότητα του Ισλάμ και απέχει πολύ από τις ανάγκες της εποχής μας. Ενεργούν, λοιπόν, με βάση μια ακραία και περιθωριακή ερμηνεία.

Σ’ όλη την χώρα οι Ταλιμπάν έχουν απαγορεύσει τα κορίτσια από το σχολείο μετά την έκτη τάξη, εμπόδισαν τις γυναίκες από την εργασία και τις υποχρέωσαν να φορούν μπούργκα από πάνω μέχρι κάτω σε δημόσιους χώρους. Οι γυναίκες επίσης δεν επιτρέπονται στα πάρκα και στα γυμναστήρια.

Πολλά νέα κορίτσια τραυματίστηκαν, όταν κρατήθηκαν. Μερικές οικογένειες είπαν στα μέσα πως οι κόρες τους έκλαιγαν και δεν μπορούσαν να ησυχάσουν. Νέοι άνθρωποι και οι οικογένειές τους ανησυχούν για το μέλλον τους” δήλωσε ο δρ. Unsal.

”Οι αδερφές μας, οι άνδρες έχουν τα ίδια δικαιώματα, θα ωφεληθούν από τα δικαιώματα, φυσικά μέσα στα πλαίσια που έχουμε ορίσει” ανέφερε ο εκπρόσωπος των Ταλιμπάν Zabihullah Mujahid. Παρά τις αρχικές υποσχέσεις για μια πιο μετριασμένη Σαρία ως προς τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών, εφάρμοσαν την δική τους ερμηνεία για το δίκαιο του Ισλάμ/Σαρία, από τότε που πήραν τον έλεγχο του Αύγουστο του 2021 και η συνέχεια απέδειξε πως οι Ταλιμπάν παραβίασαν τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών”.

 

Επομένως πώς μπορεί η διεθνής κοινότητα να βοηθήσει τις γυναίκες στο Αφγανιστάν;

”Η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση πρέπει να σταματήσει να χρηματοδοτεί επιχειρήσεις των Ταλιμπάν. Τα παιδιά από τις οικογένειες των Ταλιμπάν πρέπει να γυρίσουν πίσω στο Αφγανιστάν να σπουδάσουν εκεί, όχι στο εξωτερικό”, λέει η Jalal.

”Οι χορηγίες από το εξωτερικό πρέπει να βρεθούν και μέσω αυτών να ασκήσουν πίεση στους Ταλιμπάν, με διπλωματικές, οικονομικές κυρώσεις, βοήθεια, πολιτική πίεση και οποιοδήποτε άλλο τρόπο. Πρέπει να το κάνουν αυτό, ώστε να πετύχουν συγκεκριμένες δεσμεύσεις για τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών που θα έχουν νόημα για τις γυναίκες και τα κορίτσια και θα μπορούν να υποστούν έλεγχο” προσθέτει η Jalal.

Σύμφωνα με τον δρ. Unsal, οι κυρώσεις για τις χορηγίες από το εξωτερικό ίσως δεν έχουν αποτέλεσμα. Οι Ταλιμπάν είναι σκληροί. Αυτό που θα μπορούσε να γίνει είναι οι κοινωνίες των Μουσουλμάνων, όπως ο Οργανισμός Ισλαμικής Διάσκεψης ή η Οργάνωση Ισλαμικής Συνεργασίας ή κοινότητες μουσουλμάνων να συνεργαστούν με οργανώσεις για τ’ ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, ώστε να είναι καλύτερο το αποτέλεσμα.

Οι Ταλιμπάν ενοχλούνται από την κριτική για τις αποφάσεις τους στην κοινωνία και το αίτημα να διορθώσουν τα λάθη τους. Γι’ αυτό, λένε: ”Μην ανακατεύεστε στις εσωτερικές μας υποθέσεις”.

Κάποια διεθνή πανεπιστήμια ή οργανώσεις μπορεί να προσφέρουν ευκαιρίες εκπαίδευσης και δωρεάν διαλέξεις, μαθήματα και διπλώματα.

Κάτι άλλο είναι ότι μερικές χώρες, με τις οποίες οι Ταλιμπάν, όχι από τον Δυτικό κόσμο αλλά από τον Ισλαμικό, μπορούν να συνεργαστούν μπορούν να βοηθήσουν να πέσουν οι τόνοι μέσω των πνευματικών ανθρώπων τους” προτείνει ο δρ. Unsal.

”Οι γυναίκες στο Αφγανιστάν έχουν κουραστεί από τα λόγια και να δημοσιοποιούν τις ιστορίες τους στον ξένο Τύπο και στις οργανώσεις. Νιώθουν πως κανείς δεν θα βοηθήσει ή δεν μπορεί να βοηθήσει” λέει η Jalal.

Η εκπαίδευση είναι ένα διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένο ανθρώπινο δικαίωμα απαραίτητο για την οικονομική ανάπτυξη του Αφγανιστάν και την σταθερότητα. Οι Ταλιμπάν είναι υποχρεωμένοι με βάση το διεθνές δίκαιο και την Παγκόσμια Διακήρυξη των Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων να σεβαστούν απόλυτα τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών. Το Αφγανιστάν υπέγραψε την σύμβαση για την εξάλειψη όλων των μορφών διάκρισης κατά των γυναικών (CEDAW) το 2003.

Οι Ταλιμπάν δεσμεύονται από τις υποχρεώσεις του Αφγανιστάν με βάση αυτή την σύμβαση που μεταξύ άλλων αναφέρει πως με όλα τα κατάλληλα μέτρα και χωρίς καθυστέρηση πρέπει να εφαρμόσουν μια πολιτική που να εξαλείφει τις διακρίσεις κατά των γυναικών.

Οι γυναίκες τώρα χρειάζονται έναν άνδρα συνοδό, όταν ταξιδεύουν περισσότερο από 48 μίλια ή για βασικές δραστηριότητες, όπως να μπουν σ’ ένα κυβερνητικό κτήριο, να επισκεφθούν τον ιατρό ή να πάρουν ένα ταξί. Έχουν αποκλειστεί από όλα τα επαγγέλματα εκτός από τα ιατρικά και μέχρι την Τετάρτη, από την διδασκαλία. Οι γυναίκες επίσης δεν μπορούν να επισκέπτονται τα δημόσια πάρκα.

Η απαγόρευση των Ταλιμπάν στις γυναίκες και στα κορίτσια για την εκπαίδευση τις καταδίκασε οριστικά σ’ ένα ζοφερό μέλλον χωρίς ευκαιρίες.

”Το μισό της κοινωνίας αποτελείται από άνδρες και το άλλο μισό από γυναίκες. Επομένως, τα κορίτσια έχουν το ίδιο δικαίωμα στην εκπαίδευση με τα αγόρια. Υπάρχουν ζωτικοί ρόλοι που μπορούν να παίξουν οι γυναίκες σ’ όλες τις πτυχές της ζωής. Σε κάποια επαγγέλματα μπορεί να είναι καλύτερες από τους άνδρες”. Η απόφαση του υπουργείου Παιδείας του Αφγανιστάν, όπως λέει ο δρ. Unsal, είναι μια κατάφωρη παραβίαση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και μια κακοτυχία για το Αφγανιστάν.

Η Οικουμενική Διακήρυξη των Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων είναι ένας ακρογωνιαίος λίθος στην ιστορία των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων. Συντάχθηκε από εκπροσώπους με διαφορετικό νομικό και πολιτιστικό υπόβαθρο από όλα τα μέρη του κόσμου και υιοθετήθηκε από την Γενική Συνέλευση του ΟΗΕ  στο Παρίσι στις 10 Δεκεμβρίου 1948 (απόφαση Γενικής Συνέλευσης 217Α) ως ένα πρότυπο για όλους τους ανθρώπους και τα έθνη. Έθεσε για πρώτη φορά τα θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα που προστατεύονται παγκοσμίως και μεταφράστηκε σε περισσότερες από 500 γλώσσες. Η Οικουμενική Διακήρυξη των Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων είναι ευρέως αναγνωρισμένη και έχει εμπνεύσει για την υιοθέτηση άλλων 7 συμβάσεων για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα που εφαρμόζονται σήμερα επί μονίμου βάσεως σε παγκόσμιο και τοπικό επίπεδο (όλες περιέχουν αναφορά στους προλόγους τους). 

Πηγές: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001–2021)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/talibans-higher-education-minister-defends-ban-on-women-from-universities

https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/afghanistan

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/afghan-women-weep-over-university-ban-as-taliban-begin-enforcement

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11451718

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/10/robbed-of-hope-afghan-girls-denied-an-education-struggle-with-depression

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/12/03/asia/afghanistan-taliban-decree-womens-rights-intl/index.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/20/asia/taliban-bans-women-university-education-intl/index.html

https://www.right-to-education.org/page/campaign

https://www.unesco.org/en/education/right-education/campaign

https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/02/how-international-community-can-protect-afghan-women-and-girls

Translated by Alexia Kapsabeli/Αλεξία Καψαμπέλη from the original Taliban’s wicked abolition of women’s rights  in Afghanistan.

La ley tailandesa de “lèse-majesté” viola los derechos humanos de los jóvenes

Escrito por Leticia Cox

El 28 de marzo de 2023, la policía arrestó a Thanalop “Yok” Phalanchai, una activista estudiantil de 15 años, acusada de difamar a la monarquía. Yok está detenida en custodia preventiva en el Centro de Capacitación Profesional Juvenil Ban Pranee del Ministerio de Justicia para Niñas en la provincia de Nakhon Pathom, al oeste de Bangkok. Enfrenta hasta 15 años de prisión.

Yok está acusada de violar el artículo 112 del código penal de Tailandia, que prohíbe difamar e insultar a la monarquía, durante una manifestación en octubre de 2022 frente al Ayuntamiento de Bangkok.

Imagen de Leticia Cox

¿Por qué Tailandia tiene esta ley?

El monarca tiene un estatus elevado en la sociedad tailandesa. El difunto rey Bhumibol Adulyadej, quien murió en octubre de 2016, fue venerado casi como una divinidad, a veces tratado como un ser divino.

El hijo de Adulyadej, el rey Maha Vajiralongkorn, no goza de la misma popularidad y ha reinado desde la muerte de su padre, ejerciendo un poder limitado desde diciembre de 2016. Es el jefe de Estado, asistido en sus funciones por el Consejo Privado de Tailandia, pero aún mantiene un estatus sagrado en el país.

Hoy en día, Tailandia es una monarquía constitucional con una forma de gobierno democrática. El monarca reina pero no gobierna.

En mayo de 2014, los militares -en gran parte monárquico- derrocaron al gobierno civil.. El primer ministro tailandés, Prayuth Chan-ocha, ha destacado que la ley de lèse-majesté es necesaria para proteger a la realeza.

En noviembre de 2020, el primer ministro Prayut instruyó a las autoridades a utilizar todas las leyes contra los manifestantes a favor de la democracia, restableciendo los procesos por lèse-majesté según el artículo 112 del código penal después de una pausa de tres años.

Según los Abogados Tailandeses por los Derechos Humanos, al menos 1.895 personas han sido objeto de diversas acusaciones penales por su participación en manifestaciones desde 2020.

Entre estas personas, al menos 237 han sido acusadas de lèse-majesté por acciones en protestas pro democracia o comentarios en redes sociales, incluidos 18 niños.

Además, realizar comentarios críticos u ofensivos sobre la monarquía es un delito grave según la Ley de Delitos Informáticos Relacionados con la Computadora de 2560. Desde entonces, las autoridades han acusado a algunos activistas políticos de traición según el artículo 116 del código penal.

La interpretación judicial de los delitos de lèse-majesté parece variar según las interpretaciones de diferentes tribunales, lo que hace que las condenas sean arbitrarias y, a veces, vayan más allá de lo estipulado por la ley. En septiembre de 2022, el Tribunal Penal del Sur de Bangkok condenó a Jatuporn Sae-Ung a tres años de prisión por cargos de lèse-majesté por llevar un vestido nacional tailandés en una protesta a favor de la democracia en un contexto que las autoridades afirmaron que se hizo para burlarse de la reina Suthida.

Democratic Labor Organization Asking the government to help bail political prisoners. Photo by Prachatai

Mantener a Yok acusada de lèse-majesté en detención preventiva viola sus derechos según el derecho internacional de los derechos humanos. Según el artículo 2.2 de la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño, los Estados Parte deben tomar todas las medidas apropiadas para garantizar que un niño, es decir, cualquier persona menor de 18 años, esté protegido contra todo castigo por expresar su opinión.

El Pacto Internacional de Derechos Civiles y Políticos (PIDCP), al cual Tailandia se ha adherido, también promueve la libertad bajo fianza para los acusados en procesos penales. El artículo 9 establece: “No deberá ser la regla general que las personas en espera de juicio sean detenidas en custodia, pero la liberación puede estar sujeta a garantías de comparecer en juicio”.

Aquellos cuyos cargos no hayan sido retirados deben ser juzgados sin demoras indebidas.

“El gobierno tailandés debería permitir la expresión pacífica de opiniones políticas, incluyendo preguntas sobre la monarquía”, dijo el director de Human Rights Watch. “Las autoridades tailandesas deberían colaborar con especialistas de las Naciones Unidas y otros para enmendar la ley de lèse-majesté y que cumpla con los estándares internacionales de derechos humanos”.

El caso de Yok no es un incidente aislado. En 2020, un niño de 16 años fue acusado penalmente bajo la misma ley después de que se le acusara de vestirse de manera similar al rey Maha Vajiralongkorn y mostrar palabras ofensivas en su cuerpo.

En enero de 2021, el Tribunal Penal de Bangkok condenó a un exfuncionario civil de 65 años a una pena de prisión de 43 años y seis meses, la sentencia más severa del país por insultar a la monarquía.

En junio de 2022, tres personas influyentes tailandeses fueron arrestadas por insultar a la familia real en una campaña de video publicada en TikTok.

En marzo de 2023, un hombre fue condenado a tres años de prisión por vender calendarios a través de una página de Facebook que las autoridades consideraron que violaba la ley de lèse-majesté. El calendario presentaba ilustraciones de un pato amarillo, símbolo del movimiento de protesta en Tailandia.

La ley de lèse-majesté de Tailandia, que prohíbe cualquier ofensa contra la dignidad de la monarquía, es una de las más draconianas del mundo.

El informe reciente de Amnistía Internacional “Estamos reclamando nuestro futuro” informó sobre cómo los niños en Tailandia se enfrentan a  una amplia gama de graves repercusiones por participar en manifestaciones masivas, incluyendo la ilegalización de sus actividades y la intimidación por parte de la policía.

El informe pide a las autoridades tailandesas a retirar todos los cargos contra los manifestantes infantiles pacíficos, poner fin a todas las formas de intimidación y vigilancia, y enmendar las leyes para negar el derecho de los niños a protestar y garantizar que se ajusten a la ley y los estándares internacionales de derechos humanos.

Artículos relacionados y referencias:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child

https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-civil-and-political-rights

https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa39/6336/2023/en/

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-thailand-king-insult-idUKKBN29O15B

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbulent-Thailand/Thai-woman-sentenced-to-43-years-in-jail-for-lese-majeste

https://www.insider.com/influencers-arrested-thailand-insulting-royal-family-lese-majeste-2022-6

https://www.insider.com/thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-everything-we-know-2019-8#maha-vajiralongkorn-bodindradebayavarangkun-was-born-in-1952-as-the-second-child-and-only-son-of-then-king-bhumibol-and-his-wife-queen-sirikit-3

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29628191

Translated from the original Thai ‘lèse-majesté law’ violates youth human rights