Reuters AlertNet Lite - Brazil cracks down on child sex trade for Carnival

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Brazil cracks down on child sex trade for Carnival

16 Feb 2007 17:27:50 GMT
Source: Reuters

BRASILIA, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Brazil's government and rights groups joined forces to crack down on child prostitution on Friday as Brazilians and tourists prepared for a Carnival weekend of colorful parades, dancing, drinking and sex.

"The sexual exploitation of children is one of the big dramas in our country," said Ely Harasawa, director of the News Agency for Children's Rights, speaking at an event on Friday.

Brazil's government launched a campaign against child prostitution last week, featuring television and radio spots as well as banners in the airports of Carnival hot spots like Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife.

The International Labor Organization, or ILO which tracks child labor, does not estimate how many Brazilian kids might be involved in prostitution because most cases are not reported, said Renato Mendes, an ILO coordinator in Brazil.

"To see a child sexually exploited during Carnival and not to denounce it is also a human rights violation," added Mendes.

The ILO's list of the worst kinds of child labor includes prostitution, drug-running, street peddling and domestic and farm labor. Brazil also has a problem with children being put to work in mines, often wildcat operations located in the rough Amazon rain forest.

An estimated 2.5 million Brazilian children work, according to ILO estimates.

The country has been praised by international groups for lowering the number of child labor cases from 5 million in 1992.

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Last updated:Fri Feb 16 17:29:05 2007