WE CALL UPON PEOPLE TO REPORT CASES OF CHILD EXPLOITATION AND CHILD LABOR

One phone call can prevent girls, boys and teenagers being victims of Human Trafficking. We are responsible for children’s protection.

In the framework of the World Day Against Child Labor that will be commemorated on June 12^th, the Citizen Council for Safety and Justice in Mexico called upon people to report cases of child and teenage work exploitation through the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat Whatsapp 55 5533 5533.

Salvador Guerrero Chipres, president of the Citizen Council, pointed out that denunciation is a fundamental action to prevent minors being victims of other crimes such as Human Trafficking, so he also offered the National Line against Human Trafficking 800 55 33 000.

“Child protection is everyone’s responsibility: authorities, civil society organizations and families who must report any situation of risk. Only through this we will avoid affecting the integral development of children and we’ll avoid them being victims of exploitation and reclusion,” he stated.

Data from the National Statistics and Geography Institute (INEGI) from 2019 show that 3.2 million boys and girls from 5 to 17 years old work in non-permitted economical activities or do domestic work in non-adequate conditions.

Throughout the year, the Citizen Council has received at least 47 reports of girls, boys and teenagers who are victims of labor exploitation and forced labor.

Out of these, 46 percent of the victims are girls, while 45 percent are boys. The age group with the greatest number of cases is from 7 to 9 years old with 20% of reports.

In relation with the type of risk situation, they have reported minors begging in the streets, cleaning window shields in street corners, selling food or candies, watching cars, shining shoes or playing music instruments.

“The Council helps protect children’s interests by guaranteeing a full exercise of boys, girls and teenagers’ rights including health, education, healthy leisure activities. Therefore we work together with the national and local DIF and we collaborate with the Work and Employment Promotion Ministry to prevent child abuse,” Guerrero Chipres added.

The Citizen Council is also part of the Boys, Girls and Teenagers Protection System in Mexico City (SIPINNA) where it works in order to create a “Mini Citizen Council”, an organization that speaks for children in the country’s capital city.

Also, the Safety Line 55 5533 5533 is one of the support tools of the Family Strengthening National Program: Family Force that is promoted by the Communication Council.

The service the Citizen Council offers in its attention lines is free and works 24/7 from any part of the country.