Child prostitution & forced labour: PNG hammered in US report
05 July 2016
GIFF JOHNSON | Radio New Zealand International | Edited extract
PAPUA New Guinea has received the worst possible ranking in a just-released United States government's report on human trafficking.
The report outlined numerous trafficking issues in PNG, saying the country "is a source, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour.
“Foreign and local women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude and forced begging or street vending,” the report said.
“Foreign and local men are subjected to forced labour in logging and mining camps as well as on fishing vessels operating in PNG's exclusive economic zone."
The report estimated that 19% of PNG’s labour market was comprised of child workers, "some of whom are subjected to forced labour or prostitution."
It added that NGO sources indicated the number of children exploited in prostitution increased by 30% in 2013.
"Government officials reportedly facilitate trafficking by accepting bribes to allow undocumented migrants to enter the country or ignore trafficking situations," the report said.
Maybe the ranking is flawed but we can't deny the existence of the issues. They are real and continuously happening in PNG and need public attention.
Posted by: Francis Nii | 08 July 2016 at 07:19 AM
The deplorable level of dehumanization that goes on in the United States, which consistently devalues, disrespects and destroys black lives - and most often disproportionately people of colour by their police force is shameful.
The world understands and knows what is happening there.
So such reports like this by this revered leader of the free world is duplicitous - not worthy of serious consideration.
Posted by: Corney Korokan Alone | 07 July 2016 at 09:32 PM
What research methods have they used to come up with such statistics. PNG is unlike other countries in child prostitution and child labour and yet we see PNG on the top list of such categories. Is this another psychological suppression they are trying to implant into our mind?
Posted by: Jay Manaseh | 07 July 2016 at 09:37 AM
It is a disgrace for Papua New Guinea internationally when such issues are flagged indicating the kind of activities that concerns a citizen of the land which they have the right to their land, sea, forest and the wealth there is in the land that serves our forefathers without such nonsense experience today.
Posted by: Hulas Foa | 06 July 2016 at 10:24 AM
So-called sugar daddies are the worst perpetrators of abusing young and unspected girls. These bald or grey haired men go around with money, expensive gadgets and alchohol luring young and vulnerable teen agers for sex and making them pregnant or spreading HIV and other sexually transmitted disease is getting worse in PNG today. Tough penalties should be imposed on these Niugini wild dogs. Castration would be the best penalty.
Posted by: Francis Nii | 06 July 2016 at 08:13 AM
The United States atrocious jail population of 2.3 million people and her millions of homeless peole barely gets mentioned in international reports.
What matrix does the United States government use to identify what problems are of critical nature and what is not?
Posted by: Corney Korokan Alone | 05 July 2016 at 07:02 PM
If we cannot protect our children, our society will crumble amidst this injustice perpetrated on them. This issue of sex trafficking, street begging/ vending and forced labour involving our children needs to be addressed by relevant authorities as a matter of urgency.
There is another contentious issue that should also go in this report which I believe is paramount to the safety and wellbeing our children. And this involves child molestation and incest perpetrated within our families, relations and communities.
Parents and guardians have a huge responsibility to make sure our children are protected and shielded from those predators - traffickers, pimps, sexual predators, child molesters, and sugar daddies.
Posted by: Raymond Sigimet | 05 July 2016 at 04:46 PM