child - Haiti Observer Blog

The summer months are synonymous with fun, however, neglecting good sense when dealing with the inherent dangers posed by the hottest months of the year can lead to situations much less enjoyable than anticipated. Child safety is solely the responsibility of parents as soon as school lets out. For those who need a primer on what that requires, here are some tips on summer safety.

Sunscreen, Heatstroke and Hydration

Of course you know this! An SPF of 15 or higher will protect them from harmful sun rays and prevent painful sunburns. Pack enough for hourly reapplications as they tend to fade with sweat.

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There are a lot of facts to know about children in Haiti. Primary school is attended by just about 20% of the children and after primary grade many of the children don't attend school. Many of the schools barely have canteens or cafeterias.

Estimates On Status Of Haitian Children As Per 1998
As per estimates of 1998, the death rate per 1000 children was 99. Lack of care and medication are the main reasons for 25% to 30% death of children in the provinces. It is through a church that the missionaries support around 60% of the private schools in Haiti. Around 60% of the children hardly get three meals per day. Many of the children have no breakfast or lunch.

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Adoption is a process of providing couples with new members to add to their family, and most especially a process of giving abandoned children a loving family and a home. That is why a nation's adoption regulations and policies are highly essential in ensuring the well-being and protecting the rights of every child. In Haiti, thousands of smuggled orphans have been reported and most orphanages that cater to about 50,000 Haitian children are poorly managed and have very limited resources.

Based on the poor state of the country's adoption system, the Haitian governments moved to reform and strengthen its legislation on the adoption process of Haitian children. According to several officials, the proposed reform in legislation is committed in ensuring that the state's obligation to the protection of children is being met. It included the policy of having both biological parents to give legal consent when filing their child for adoption. Other requirements noted in the new legislation is that couples trying to adopt a child should have been married for at least five years, with one of them being at least 30 years of age while a single individual filing to adopt should be at least 35 years of age. It has already been thoroughly discussed and documented in the Senate and is now awaiting an approval from the country's Houses of Parliament.

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Criminal law defines the act of kidnapping as the taking by force a victim, and keeping them illegally imprisoned. In the U.S., a considerable number of child kidnappings occur as the result of a custody battle. If the child gives their consent to be taken from the custodial parent, and the child is considered competent, certain jurisdictions do not define it as a kidnapping.

The U.S. kidnapping law derives from Britain's common law. In 1932, Charles and Anne Lindbergh lost their child to a kidnapper. The outcome of this world-wide publicized event was the passage of the Federal Kidnapping Act, giving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the authority to investigate kidnapping incidents. This federal law states if the kidnapper takes the child beyond state borders, the crime can be federally prosecuted.

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Children are vulnerable in situations in which they feel uncomfortable, insecure, or frightened. Taught to obey adult authority without question, they are unable to act on their instincts when confronted with strangers who intend them harm. Here are some guidelines to keep your children safe.

• Sit down with your children and talk to them. Tell them if any stranger gets too close for comfort to run away as quickly as possible. Instruct them to yell as loud as possible as they run to safety.

• Don't allow your children to go anywhere by themselves. If they are young, have someone you know well accompany them. If your children are older, ensure they always travel with a friend. Keep tabs on your children.

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Abduction, a form of kidnapping, is often associated with family abduction. Family abduction occurs when a child is taken by force away from their family. Frequently the perpetrator is a parent, who has been involved in a child custody dispute with their former partner.

The legal definition of abduction is a coercive act performed in defiance of a custody order. In some cases, family abductions are carried out surreptitiously. They begin when a parent or anyone acting in their place uses pretext to get possession of the child, for instance, taking the child for an outing and never returning them. The perpetrator hides the child, taking them over state lines to keep the victim-parent away from their child. The objective of abduction is to get illegal custody of the child, violating the primary caretaker's rights.

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An AMBER Alert is an urgent bulletin put out when a family abduction has taken place. Issued across all forms of media, it gives the physical description of both child and perpetrator. Along with the physical characteristics of perpetrator and victim, the license plate number and make and model of the crime vehicle is also included.

AMBER Alerts use the Emergency Alert System to broadcast to news, on-air, and Internet media outlets. Other outlets include electronic highway billboards and other billboard entities such as Clear Channel.

The responsibility of issuing an AMBER Alert usually comes under the jurisdiction of highway patrol or state trooper agencies, which involve themselves in investigation of the abduction.

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With the weak economy and poor living conditions in Haiti, many women, including teenagers, have settled to becoming prostitutes just to earn. Prostitution is illegal in the country but this does not stop women from getting paid for sex. Since the 1940s, prostitution rings have been active in the country and it only got worse as time went by and catastrophes hit the Caribbean nation.

According to a report in 2005, Haitian children were being trafficked in the Dominican Republic, where they were forced to work as slaves or prostitutes. Many of these children were orphaned, while others can no longer be supported and fed by their parents. As a result, they are brought to the Dominican Republic and sold to families and individuals looking for a child laborer. There were reports that the trafficked children have been physically abused too and some were so traumatized they can not recall how they got to that situation.

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Many expectant mothers decide to give away their newly born kids in adoption plans because of varied reasons. It is important to note that no loving mother can just give away her newly born bundle of joy unless some circumstances have forced her to go on with the adoption plan.

Understanding this fact can work for you if you are on the lookout to execute the adoption plans.

You must understand that expectant mothers who are forced by circumstances to settle for adoption plans will be willing to give way their kids only if they will be sure that her kid will get the best parental care and love. It therefore follows you will benefit from this knowledge if you give the expectant mother the hint that you are caring and loving as she should love her kid to be raised by search a parent.

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Bullying happens in every social context to individuals, groups, classes, races, genders, and sexual orientations. Researchers claim certain characteristics are present in people who bully. They are often authoritarian, dominating, controlling, socially underdeveloped, and prejudiced towards others. They are also emotionally volatile, coercive, habitually aggressive, paranoid, insecure, and prone to acting in robotic ways.

Bullying or hazing--as it is called on college campuses--has a shameful tradition that secretly legitimizes itself.

Research in psychology implies bullying begins in childhood. If bullying behavior is not dealt with then, the risk increases it may turn into a chronic disorder. Bullying works through mind-games, name-calling, or character assassination. It finds fertile ground in gangs and groups, often occurring in school environments.

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