SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

January 24, 2004 – (IWPR - Dushanbe) The lack of law enforcement was identified as a major problem in the fight against child prostitution by journalists, Central Asian officials and NGOs at a January 24 round table discussion on IWPR’s “Lost Children” report.

Khudoynazar Asoev, the head of the Tajik interior ministry’s press centre, told delegates, “We have specific data about organised crime related to sexual exploitation of minors but because our legislation is incomplete we are unable to fight this type of crime.”

IWPR’s representative in Tajikistan, Lydia Isamova, said, “Law enforcement agencies attempt to combat this evil, but due to the inadequate financing and a weak legislative framework, it is not always possible.”

An independent observer, journalist Maraiam Davlatova, said police personnel shortages were a particular problem, “What has happened to the local district police officers who use to take an active part in crime prevention?”

Sex with a minor is a punishable offence but some blame the rapid liberalisation of society and western influences - such as a sudden access to cheap pornographic material - as a reason for the growth in child prostitution.

Khurshed Nazarov, a correspondent for the Interfax in Tajikistan, suggested that clerics could play a role in curbing the problem, “We should be talking about the possibility of using religious influences in the fight against child prostitution.”

Many of the delegates also felt that the media could do more draw attention to the scourge.

Zebunisso Najmiddinova, the assistant media adviser to the OSCE ambassador, said,
“It is time to speak out about child prostitution. We have to get actively involved and use the mass media to find a solution.”

The deputy head of the United Nations Tajikistan office of Peace Building, UNTOP, welcomed IWPR’s help in this regard, “Let your discussion become an impetus for solving this problem,” he said.

A few delegates pointed out that some media were keen to investigate child exploitation, but were hampered by lack of funding and censorship.

Zafar Abdullaev, the director of Internet agency Avesta, suggested that another obstacle was the lack of coordination between those who could play a part to tackling the issue, “There is no interaction between the media, NGOs and law enforcement agencies.”

Drawing attention to child prostitution is one thing, but some suggested that many officials would not necessarily welcome this as it might show their respective countries in a bad light. “In many ways, the state itself is to be blamed for the development of this,” said Isamova.

She called for immediate action to help the victims of sexual exploitation, “ We often say ‘children are our future’. Unless we do something, it will be a dark one. That’s why it is time to open special centres for these abused children and offer them proper help.”

From: http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?centasia_tajik_0104.html