Storefront Stunt Puts Child Labour in Public Eye of Canadians

MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 12, 2013 /CNW/ - This morning after advertising a secret sale in Toronto and Vancouver, World Vision staff ripped off the brown paper of two storefronts to reveal a shocking display of child actors portraying child labourers sewing and breaking bricks. 

This morning's event coincides with the UN's World Day Against Child Labour and launches the NGO's summer campaign No Child For Sale (www.nochildforsale.ca, #nochildforsale). 

"We will make some Canadians uncomfortable with what is an uncomfortable issue for many," says Dave Toycen, World Vision Canada president and CEO. 

No Child For Sale is an awareness initiative which aims to educate Canadians that child labour is the reality behind much of the products we buy, and the food that we consume.

Facts on Child Slavery:

• 115 million children worldwide are forced into dirty, dangerous and degrading jobs
• These jobs are in the agricultural, fishing, mining, domestic service, manufacturing sectors
• There are 1 million children globally in the mining industry alone
• Canada is also not immune to the problem. We know both children and adults are trafficked to, from and within Canada, into exploitive situations.

Causes of Child Slavery: 

• Child slavery is a consequence of poverty, discrimination and powerlessness where the strong take advantage of the weak and vulnerable.

• A child's lack of access to basic necessities (food, shelter, water, education), unscrupulous employers, demand for cheap goods, and poor child protection and labour laws result in millions of children experiencing abuse, permanent ill health and, in some cases, death.

• Unfortunately, parents may make decisions that put their child at risk of exploitation or serious harm.  Sometimes they turn their child over to a person they know and trust to help the child find safe work - when that person is actually a trafficker.  It is very common for parents to be deceived by traffickers about the nature of the work and where their child is going. 

Quotes: 

"We will make some Canadians uncomfortable with what is an uncomfortable issue for many."  - Dave Toycen, World Vision Canada President and CEO.

"Never before have we taken such a hard stance against a single issue, the issue of child slavery that is a daily reality for 115,000,000 children around the world." - Dave Toycen, World Vision Canada President and CEO. 

What Canadians can do:
1) Take action by signing our petition at endchildslavery.ca and participating in other actions to help end child slavery.
2) Share information about the realities of life for children who have no option but to work in a 3D job to survive.  Watch out for our major public awareness campaign to be launched in June.
3) Help to prevent a child from being vulnerable to exploitation by sponsoring a child.
4) Respond to the needs of children working in 3D jobs by giving to our gift catalogue helping children working in mines or on the street.
5) Buy used or from a company that uses ethically sources like Energy Star, Certified Organic, Forest Stewardship Council, Dolphin Safe and Fairtrade.  You can do your research at www.goodguide.com, they rate products according to their ethical quotient.

World Vision also hosts the premier screening of the movie Girl Rising today. This film beautifully tells the stories of nine extraordinary young girls from nine different countries, all born into harsh and-in some cases-desperate circumstances, while exploring the vital role education plays in their lives.   Access to education is one of the most powerful and effective ways to fight child labour.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

SOURCE World Vision Canada