Analysis of Societal Perception on Child Tafficking in Peshawar, Pakistan
Author: Ali, Syed Rashid, bukharasani@gmail.com
Department: Sociology
University: Peshawar, Pakistan
Supervisor: Niaz Muhammad
Year of completion: 2014
Language of dissertation: English
Keywords:
Child Trafficking
, Societal perception
, Peshawar
, Analysis
Areas of Research:
Law
, Youth
Abstract
This study focuses on “An Analysis of Societal Perception on Child Trafficking in Peshawar, Pakistan”. The motivation for the study is a rapid spread of the issue of child trafficking across the globe and particularly in developing nations including Pakistan. The main objective of the study is to analyze various dimensions of child trafficking with special emphasis on its familial, legal economic, psychological, political, cultural, and educational aspect. Furthermore, the study attempts to find association between these dimensions and child trafficking by using statistical techniques.
Data were taken from 392 respondents including 116 universities teachers, 103 journalists and 173 legal practitioners through a survey questionnaire, following the reliability test of Cronbach’s Alpha. Statistical analysis was made through chi square and gamma tests to see the association between independent and dependent variables. The theory “Routine Activities” expounded by Cohen and Felson (1979) was utilized in the compilation of study design.
The results reveal a positive and significant association of familial, legal, economic, psychological, political, cultural, and educational dimensions with child trafficking. On family side, abusive behavior towards children, family disintegration and homelessness of children were found as associated factors with child trafficking. Similarly, erosion of social network was observed as contributing element in child vulnerability to the menace of trafficking which onward weakened the social control mechanism of society. Low profile families and large family size were not supported and stood with insignificant role in child trafficking.
It was further found that the law enforcement agencies did not perform their due role, and their lethargic attitude enhanced the risk of trafficking. State law was perceived unimpressive and that is why victims’ families did not look for any legal aid. The socio-economic status of children had a significant relation with trafficking, as poverty played a major role as a promoting agent of the issue. Other factors like child maltreatment at home, human deprivation, hopelessness in family, low status of females, forced child marriage, bride price marriage, compensation marriage (locally known as Swara marriage), forced displacement, child soldiering, refugees camps, lack of educational opportunities, ignorance of parents, corporal punishment and dropout from schools were also found in association with child trafficking.
In nutshell, the study emphasizes upon the public and private sectors to strictly sensitize the negative bearings of child trafficking and come forward with concrete suggestions and actions to combat the issue. The study suggests the enactment of stringent rules and their proper implementation, ensuring physical, social, moral and legal support to the vulnerable groups of the community like victims of trafficking. The study further recommends that awareness-raising campaign needs to be initiated by the state, community and private sector organizations (NG0s) at different levels to apprise mainly the uneducated community of the miseries of child trafficking and other similar problems.
