Abandoned

The National Main Stories

By REBECCA KUKU
THE number of homeless children in the National Capital District has increased, along with reports of child prostitution and child labour because of the high cost of living, it has been revealed.
National Office for Child and Family Services chief executive Simon Yanis told The National yesterday that they conducted a study in Port Moresby early this year and found that there were more than 1,500 homeless children in the capital city.
“The numbers were collected from parts of the city – Gerehu, Waigani, Downtown, Badili, Sabama, Three-Mile, Manu and Boroko,” he said.
“We have also received reports on an increase in child labour.
“Many young children, especially teenaged girls from the Central villages in Rigo and Abau, are being brought in by their parents and relatives and given to Asian-run shops to employ as shop assistants.
“There are laws against child labour in our country and my office will be discussing this with the Labour Department (on) how to address this.
“These children often live at the back of these shops and work 24 hours, seven days a week to earn just K200 fortnightly, which is also below the national minimum wage.
“So I hope to work with Labour to address this.”
Yanis said child prostitution was also on the rise, with young teenage girls forced into selling themselves to support their families.
“We have reports of relatives in Port Moresby tricking village girls under the age of 18 to come to Port Moresby to work, but instead put them into clubs to work as hosts and out on the streets for paid sex,” he said.
“We cannot continue to ignore the plight of these children.
“Child prostitution and labour are happening.
“It’s time we accept that and work as a country to address the issue.
“Government and churches must work together to help these children, who are being preyed upon by their own families to make money.”
Meanwhile, the National Office of Child and Family Services has written to the National Planning department secretary to seek support on a more detailed survey into the issue.