o end human trafficking, always pursue the children’s best interest

As we mark the International Day against Trafficking in Persons today, let’s reflect on the gains Kenya has made in regard to ending trafficking in children.

In 2019, the Cabinet banned inter-country adoptions. This followed a moratorium placed through a Cabinet directive in 2014 suspending them.

President Kenyatta did what no other government had managed to do against the cartels in child trafficking.

This is the biggest achievement of our times: A great and awesome milestone in the children’s sector, not just for Kenya but Africa as a whole. This restored the dignity of our people and the nation.

While there have been genuine inter-country adoptions over the years, criminals have infiltrated the seemingly good cause of rescuing poor and abandoned children with the pretence of giving them a better future while the truth is that they are simply in the business for money.

CARE SYSTEMS

In many poor countries, child trafficking has often been done through care systems, making the crime very difficult to notice by law enforcement officers. Many times, perpetrators use, and have the kindest of language, to cover up what they are doing and to induce and recruit many into their systems.

Indeed, there are some innocent officers who facilitate them without knowing they’re abetting evil and crime against humanity.

They pass themselves off as philanthropists and loving religious people and others as the most caring in society. But behind this veil, the worst of crimes are committed against innocent and voiceless children.

The other challenge is closely related to this.

GULLIBLE FANS

Because of their seeming concern and love for vulnerable children, perpetrators easily attract armies of gullible fans, who harass and intimidate those who are able to see through the deception.

In several countries, those who raised the alarm, mostly professionals in the medical field, judiciary and social work, have been framed or sacked to get out of the way of the cartels.

‘ABANDONED BABIES’

Perpetrators start with what are commonly known as “abandoned babies” — in some cases, stolen children.

This term is mostly a cover to aid facilitation. Maybe we should ask ourselves where all these “abandoned” children come from.

More often than not, these are lost children whose families did not manage to trace while others are stolen in hospitals or lured from home or school.

These children are then reported to law enforcement as abandoned and taken to care homes for safe custody. It’s from there that the dirty business of trafficking is planned and executed.

But also ask yourself: How come children from poor countries are promised heaven in their new homes, while some of those countries cannot tolerate people of different races born there?

The many cases we hear about killings of people of other races in some countries should raise questions about the wisdom of giving away our children to people outside their country. Foreign adoptions are not as rosy as they look.

CONSENT

Ideally, no child should be taken away to become a citizen of another country or race without their consent only for them to be subjected to the inhumane treatment many suffer at the hands of chauvinists, sex predators, body organ harvesters and slave masters.

But while we celebrate the ban, our laws and policies should always be for the best interest of the child, as the Cabinet noted.

Every child has a right to be raised by their own family. To be raised by a parent is a basic and fundamental human right. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure children enjoy these rights. All laws, including, the Constitution protect the rights.

While we recognise the need for alternative family care — either foster care or adoptions — these systems are envisaged for those rare instances where a child is in need of protection and care.

But such cases must be determined by a professional in child protection, who should be guided by the best interest of the child and not the facilitators.

And that is how we shall completely end child-trafficking.

Ms Mureithi is the CEO, Child Welfare Society of Kenya. [email protected].