Haiti is still desperately trying to recover from the earthquake that shattered it at the beginning of last year. Sadly, and despite the best efforts of many Haitians and numerous aid agencies, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund recently released a disturbing report that illustrated in many situations Haiti’s problems are worsening, not improving.
This is particularly evident in the area of child trafficking, where experts say there has been a drastic increase since the quake. This is because parents are left desperate as they face the reality of their inability to feed, clothe or educate their children, and are then taken advantage of by traffickers who promise a better life for their children.
Unfortunately, the children are used for prostitution, or as UNICEF's report disturbingly indicates the trafficked children are also being used to supply an illegal adoption market.
Ron Sparks who works with the Baptist Haiti Mission explains, "The tragedy is only magnified because of the earthquake and so many more children being on the street and being vulnerable to predators."
Sparks explains that trafficking can be cut down if aid agencies can "continue providing a support group for the families and the children themselves” and also provide accountability measures so that children will be recorded and checked up on preventing them from simply disappearing. Aid agencies also provide a place "that people know they have a place to turn to when they are desperate, and they can get help."