Refugees as victims of violence, child labour and “birth tourism”

Dozens of Rohingya girls fleeing hunger and violence in Myanmar are forced into arranged marriages with older Malaysian men who often use violence against them. Malaysia has not ratified the United Nations Refugee Convention, so the girls are primarily undocumented immigrants. In turn, Libyan militias are involved in the detention and torture of refugees. The central authorities have problems consolidating their position, lawlessness and militia rule.

“Birth tourism” to the USA has become popular among wealthy Chinese women. In that way, they want to obtain American citizenship for their children and bypass the one-child policy in force in China until 2015. In 2021, almost 400,000 children and teenagers crossed the border between the US and Mexico alone. Many of them find employment in places that violate labour laws regarding minors, e.g. as roofers. That work takes place at high altitudes without protection and involves, among others, burns from heated tar used to maintain roof coverings.

 Hundreds of women and children are being smuggled into the UK to rob shops for Eastern European criminal groups. Retailers Against Crime (RAC) reported tracking 56 shoplifting groups that fund organised crime. The criminals’ activities have been linked to drugs, firearms and human trafficking.