More disturbing details are surfacing just over a week after the
rescue of 48 trafficked children who had been kept in a rogue
crèche awaiting illegal international adoption, causing
further concern over an estimated 100 children still believed to be
in the crèche.

The 48 rescued last week were found in conditions of extreme
neglect by officials from Haiti's Social Well-Being and Research
Institute (IBERS by its French acronym), the government agency that
oversees legal adoption in the country. Most were suffering from
malnutrition, severe diarrhea, dehydration, and skin diseases.

Many parents had difficulties recognizing their children upon
their return home. "He was in such a state of neglect, it's as if I
will need to bury my child," said a father after seeing the
condition of his child.

One government official revealed that during an unannounced
visit made a few days before the rescue, the children were hidden
in the basement, frightened and filthy.  Neighbours have
confirmed that they often heard children crying.

In a statement to a local radio station, one of the presumed
traffickers said that when the imminent rescue of the children was
announced, those working at the crèche restricted the amount
of food and other basic care normally given to the children.

Ten of the rescued children remain hospitalized, receiving
treatment for malnutrition and contagious dermatological
conditions.  Most of the children will require long-term
psychological support to overcome the trauma of the physical abuse
and the separation from their families for periods ranging from
many months to two years.  Some children are further
distressed by the separation from their siblings; 11 brothers and
sisters of the rescued children are still at the
crèche. 

Although initial estimates by IBERS of the number of children
still awaiting rescue were put at more than 40, officials now
believe there are about 100 children there in urgent need of
medical assistance.  The agency's limited financial means are
hampering the immediate rescue of these children.

IOM is now urgently seeking additional funding in order to
support Haitian authorities in their efforts to rescue the
remaining children and to provide long-term reintegration
assistance to child victims of trafficking although the
Organization has received some funding from the Canadian government
and the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to
enhance counter-trafficking law enforcement capacity and to provide
assistance to child victims of trafficking in volatile areas
respectively.

Funds would also be used to raise awareness of human trafficking
in areas like Jeremie, an impoverished, isolated and desolate
district in the south west of Haiti and which is particularly
affected by the problem. Many families have between six and eight
children and the parents are often unable to meet the most basic
needs such as food, healthcare and education.

"If urgent sensitization measures are not carried out in the
region, there is a risk that destitute parents will continue to
give their children away and these ruthless traffickers will
continue to thrive in Haiti's more destitute areas," says Geslet
Bordes, manager of IOM's child trafficking programme in Haiti.

IOM and the Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF), in
coordination with Haitian authorities, assisted in the return of
the 48 children to their homes last week in Jeremie. IOM is also
providing financial support for the immediate medical and
psychological care of the children as well as reintegration
assistance for both the children and their parents. This includes
the payment of educational fees of school-aged children for one
year while parents will be given micro-grants and training to set
up small businesses to ease financial worries during the initial
period of return.

Since 2005, IOM has assisted with the return and re-integration
of 121 children victims of trafficking in Haiti with funding from
the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and
Migration (PRM).  This IOM programme also carries out family
tracing, evaluation and reunification, educational/vocational
support in addition to giving micro-enterprise grants to
parents/caretakers to prevent re-trafficking. Where family
reunification is not possible, children are placed in shelters.

For more information, please contact:

Geslet Bordes

IOM Port au Prince

Tel: +509 244 1218; 490 0505;

E-mail: "mailto:gbordes@iom.int">gbordes@iom.int