Torture in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Human Trafficking in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Street Children in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
 

Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children

In the early years of the 21st Century gvnet.com/streetchildren/Bahamas.htm

Commonwealth of the Bahamas The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006 and will likely drop even further in 2009. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in the Bahamas. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false.  No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

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Human Rights Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

U.S. Dept of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 8, 2006

www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61714.htm

[accessed 20 January 2011]

CHILDREN - The government claimed child welfare and education were priorities but lacked sufficient funding to maintain and improve standards. Public schools lacked basic educational materials, and facilities were overcrowded and substandard. Public education is compulsory and free for children through the age of 16, and most children attended school until that age.

During the summer months, the RBPF operated a hot line in response to an increase in the number of reports of missing or exploited children.

The Ministry of Social Services is responsible for abandoned children up to 18 years of age but had very limited resources at its disposal. The government hospital housed eight abandoned children (all of whom had physical disabilities) during the year, as there was no effective foster care program in which to house them.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 31 March 2005

www1.umn.edu/humanrts/crc/bahamas2005.html

[accessed 20 January 2011]

[53] The Committee notes with appreciation that the largest share of the national budget is allocated to education and that primary and secondary education is free in public schools for all children in the State party. It also notes that the PACE Program (Providing Access to Continued Education Program) ensures that pregnant teenagers are given an opportunity to complete their education. However, the Committee remains concerned at the dropout rates within the formal public education system, especially among boys.

[55] The Committee appreciates the progress made by the State party in addressing the issue of child labor, including the adoption of the Employment Act in 2001. However, the Committee is concerned at the relatively high prevalence of child labor in the State party and the insufficient protection from hazardous forms of work involving children between 14 and 18 years of age.

Bahamas

www.streetchildren.org.uk/reports/38th%20session%20BAHAMAS%20Jan%2005.doc

[Last access date unavailable]

OVERVIEW OF STREET CHILDREN ISSUES

GENERAL MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTATION

STATE REPORT

Para 12: “The Children and Young Persons (Administration of Justice) Act (18 September, 1947) provides for the protection of children from all forms of cruelty and exploitation”.

Para 19: “Children in the Bahamas have access to free education, free medical care, and in special circumstances such as broken or deprived families, due to socio-economic conditions, the Government provides subsistence where needed”.

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Torture in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Human Trafficking in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Street Children in [The Bahamas] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [The Bahamas] [other countries]