Liberia: Child Laborers of Foster Parents Arrested

By on 5-04-2012 in Abuse in foster care, Liberia, Trafficking

Liberia: Child Laborers of Foster Parents Arrested

Children from relatives and friends are often sent to these foster families to be educated in the big city. Unfortunately, many are used a child laborers. The children should be enrolled in the free school system.


“The Concerned Youth of Liberia (CYL), the mastermind behind the police action, said more than 10 of the children arrested were between 10 and 14 years old. They were arrested with their goods allegedly given them by their foster parents.”

“The officer representing the Women and Children Division of the police, Mrs. Esther Diawalo, said some of the children were brought from neighboring countries and were unable to even speak English.

“This makes it difficult for us to communicate with them. The crimes of child labor and child trafficking are becoming serious problems for our society. We need to fight these problems collectively. Be it government, community dwellers, or police officers, we all need to join hands,” she told reporters.
“People in the communities need to identify to our field agents people that are practicing these acts. The fight against these crimes should begin from the communities because these are the areas [where] the perpetrators and the victims live.”
One of the arrested children, a 14-year-old girl, said that her aunt brought her from Guinea to be sent to school. But since her arrival, she has not entered school. She has been selling bread for about four years now. She said her aunt always beats her whenever she does wrong.”

Police Swoop Grabs Child Laborers
[Liberian Observer 5/2/12 by William Q. Harmon]

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