The Palermo Protocol: Trafficking Takes it All

The Palermo Protocol is the outcome of bargain and lobbying with global institutions, NGOs and government representatives embattling to enforce their interests. The outcome is the concept of trafficking that embraces the struggles against prostitution, slavery and child labour. This broad concept has allowed various local cultural practices and survival strategies of those who live under difficult conditions to become classified as trafficking. While such definition may facilitate fundraising there are adverse consequences to be considered. Firstly, hazardous conditions of children that obviously are not trafficking tend to become ignored. Second, the victims of “real” trafficking become invisible by the excessive number of children allegedly trafficked. Third, the broad definition of trafficking has contributed to criminalization of whole communities and consequent conflicts between NGOs engaged in anti-trafficking activities and the communities involved. Such a situation is not in the best interest of the children involved. Rather than spending huge amount of resources on the conventional anti-trafficking measures there is a need to address the root causes of whatsoever unacceptable condition a child is suffering from

Prevalence and diversity of emotional abuse and neglect in childhood in Iceland.

Efst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinnInngangur: Uppeldisaðferðir foreldra sem fela í sér ofbeldi geta haft skaðleg áhrif á heilaþroska barna og heilsu þeirra og hegðun til lengri eða skemmri tíma. Umfang og margbreytileiki ofbeldisins er mikilvægur áhrifaþáttur og vanræksla er ein alvarlegasta birtingarmynd þess. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að skoða algengi og umfang andlegs ofbeldis og vanrækslu sem fullorðnir Íslendingar segja að þeir hafi reynslu af í æsku og hvernig hún hefði áhrif á mat þeirra á uppeldi sínu. Efniviður og aðferðir: Slembiúrtak einstaklinga 18 ára og eldri úr Þjóðskrá Íslands. Viðmælendur voru beðnir um að meta uppeldi sitt og svara spurningum um reynslu af 8 mismunandi formum andlegs ofbeldis og reynslu af vanrækslu í æsku. Niðurstöður: Af 966 viðmælendum svöruðu 663 (69%) að þeir hefðu reynslu af einu eða fleiri af 8 formum andlegs ofbeldis. Þeir sem voru yngri en 30 ára voru 2,9 sinnum líklegri til að segja frá slíkri reynslu borið saman við þá sem voru eldri (95% CI 1,9-4,3). Meiri líkur voru á því að viðkomandi teldi uppeldi sitt slæmt eða ásættanlegt borið saman við gott eftir því sem svör um reynslu af andlegu ofbeldi voru fjölbreyttari (p<0,0001) og umfangsmeiri (p<0,0001). Samtals 105 (11%) töldu sig hafa verið van-ræktir í æsku. Marktækt fleiri karlar en konur höfðu reynslu af andlegu ofbeldi (p=0,0020) en konur af vanrækslu (p=0,0440). Ályktun: Rúmlega 2/3 af fullorðnum Íslendingum segja frá reynslu af einu eða fleiri af 8 formum andlegs ofbeldis í æsku og rúmlega 1/10 af vanrækslu. Uppeldisaðferðum má breyta, meðal annars með fræðslu, félagslegum stuðningi og lagasetningu.Introduction: Parenting styles that include abuse can harm the development of the child's brain with a long or short-term impact on his/her health and behaviour. The scope and diversity of abuse are important determinants, and neglect is one of its most serious manifestations. The aim of the study is to examine the prevalence and diversity of emotional abuse and neglect reported by adult Icelanders in their childhood, and how such experience had influenced their evaluation of their upbringing. Materials and methods: Icelanders 18 years and older were randomly selected from the national population register. They were invited to express their perception of their upbringing, and answer questions regarding their experience of 8 specific forms of emotional abuse in childhood, and neglect. Results: Of 966 interviewees, 663 (69%) had experienced one or more of the 8 forms of emotional abuse. Those younger than 30 years were 2.9 times more likely to have such an experience compared to those who were older (95% CI 1.9 to 4.3). The perception of upbringing as bad or acceptable compared to good was significantly related to the number of forms of emotional abuse applied (p <0.0001) and the scope of its application (p<0.0001). In total 105 (11%) considered that they had experienced neglect in childhood. Significantly more men than women had experienced emotional abuse (p= 0.0020), whereas women reported neglect (p=0.0440). Conclusion: More than 2/3 of adult Icelanders report experience of one or more out of 8 different forms of emotional abuse and 1/10 report neglect. Parenting styles can be changed, e.g. with education, social support, and legislation

Seasonal rural residence of Icelandic children

Research that focuses on children who migrate without a parent or legal guardian is most often carried out in low-income countries. Such migration is increasingly associated with child trafficking. In this article the Icelandic custom to send children to the country during the summer months in the last century will be examined. It is based on secondary documents such as journals, magazines, documents and reports from child protection authorities. The Icelandic population shared the opinion that seasonal rural residence for urban children was beneficial for the nation, the family and the child. In the country, the children would enjoy unspoiled nature, clean mountain air and nutritious food. In addition, they would learn to attend animals and proper work. Individuals, associations, charities and child protection authorities collaborated in an effort to organise rural residence for children during the summer months, either at farms or particular summer camps. Rural residence was considered to be particularly important for delinquent children, but also those who suffered from poverty, irresponsible parental behaviour and poor health. Data is lacking on the number of children sent to the country and their experiences however it is known to have varied greatly. Likewise, little is known about the considerations of the farmers who hosted the children and the children’s parents. This custom is typically per definition child migration without a parent or legal guardian. Care should be taken not to classify such customs routinely as child trafficking wherever they are practiced

Work injuries of 13-17-year-old Icelanders: Causes and consequences.

Efst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinnSpurningalisti var lagður fyrir 2000 manna tilviljunarúrtak 13-17 ára ungmenna í Þjóðskrá 2008. Svarhlutfallið var 48,8%. Spurt var í lokaðri spurningu hvort ungmennin hefðu orðið fyrir vinnuslysi og um alvarleika slyssins í opinni spurningu um áverka og slysavalda. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Introduction: The aim of the research is to investigate work injuries among 13-17-year-old teenagers in Iceland, their causes and seriousness. Firstly, the prevalence of work injuries among the age-group is examined, as is the length of their absence from work, as well as the gender and age differences of both factors. Secondly, the type and the cause of the injuries are investigated. Thirdly, the most serious injuries and their causes are studied further. Material and methods: A survey was carried out amongst 2000 teenagers, aged 13-17, randomly selected from the Registers Iceland. The response rate was 48.4%. The teenagers were asked in a closed question about whether they had had an accident at work, and in an open one about the type and cause of the injury. A Chi-square test was used to test statistical significance: 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A fifth of the young people had had an accident at work, one quarter of the injured workers were absent from work because of the injury of which 5.9% for more than a week. The percentage of injured workers increases with age and has reached 30,7% among the 17-year-olds. Cuts and sprains were the most common injuries, whereas back injuries and bone fractures caused the longest absences. Sharp instruments were the most common cause of an injury, but lifting/carrying a (heavy) object as well as a fall of an object caused the longest absences. Conclusion: The prevalence of young workers' injuries and the seriousness of some of these injuries are of concern. In addition to education on occupational health and safety (OHS) and OHS training, future research must analyse if their labour market position threaten the young people's safety, and if it is the case, how to prevent it

Health education and cholera in rural Guinea-Bissau

AbstractObjective: The study was undertaken to explore local ideas about cholera and the diffusion of official health educational messages for cholera prevention and to assess whether such messages contributed to changed behavior in the population.Methods: During the ongoing cholera epidemic in 1994 in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, a roster of all adult residents in a rural community was established. From this roster of 458 adults, 53 of 60 randomly chosen residents were interviewed for qualitative data on cholera and its prevention.Results: Local preventive rituals performed contributed to high awareness of the epidemic. Radio and word-of-mouth communication were the most important sources of information on cholera, whereas posters and television did not effectively reach the population. All persons with cholera rapidly sought care. Thirty-four (64%) of 53 participants recalled at least one preventive measure; specifically, treatment of water with lemon was mentioned by 21 (40%) of respondents. None of the respondents could explain how cholera is transmitted to humans.Conclusions: To improve compliance with recommended preventive measures, these should take local conceptions of diseases into account and be few in number, practical, and effective. The impact of the radio could be increased if those who hear the message are urged to spread the recommendation, especially to women who take care of food, water, and general hygiene in the household

Review shows that Icelandic society is taking firmer steps to tackle the diverse forms of child abuse and neglect that its children are exposed to

Publisher's version (útgefin grein).Aim: This review examined and summarised the research published on child abuse in Iceland, which was mainly in the country's native language, to make the findings more accessible to English speakers. It specifically focused on child rearing and the physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect and intrafamilial conflicts suffered by children at the hands of their parents and other carers. Method: The review drew on published research, books and reports and compared the findings with Nordic research and global estimates of child abuse. Results: Qualitative and quantitative research revealed that the prevalence of different forms of child abuse, child neglect and intra-familial conflicts in Iceland was similar to, or higher than, global and Nordic estimates. Younger respondents reported less physical abuse than older respondents, but higher levels of emotional abuse. Legislation, greater awareness, public debates and research on child abuse in Iceland have contributed to the growing recognition of the negative consequences of child abuse and strengthened support for prevention strategies. Conclusion: Icelandic children have reportedly experienced diverse forms of child abuse and neglect from their parents and other carers. Diverse initiatives have been put in place that underline the urgent need to tackle such behaviour.Peer Reviewe

Iceland and development aid in the era of the MDGs: a case study of an Alma Ata inspired primary healthcare project in southern Malawi

Publisher's version (útgefin grein)The monitoring of relevant health indicators is important in the examination of work that aims to improve health, not only globally, as for example, through the Millennium Development Goals 2000–2015, but also at the national, regional and/or sectoral, level. During the period 2000–2011, the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) supported the strengthening of the primary healthcare system in the Monkey Bay area of Mangochi District, Malawi. Based on data collected through several evaluative approaches and the use of commonly used health indicators, we explore the overall performance and constraints of the services provided by ICEIDA during project implementation. Structural and diverse process indicators provided evidence that access to governmental services improved during the project period. The population expressed satisfaction with the ongoing improvement of the healthcare services they felt were of good value and quality. During the MDG era, Malawi succeeded in decreasing the under-5 mortality rate by 2/3 (MDG4 target), and maternal mortality by 66% by implementing evidence based interventions similar to those ICEIDA supported in the Monkey Bay area. Albeit small, ICEIDA's support was a relevant, effective, and efficient approach to strengthen primary healthcare services in the Monkey Bay area, resulting in tangible and sustainable benefits for the Monkey Bay communities, that may also be applicable in other settings.Peer Reviewe

Sjálfboðastarf í Brothættum byggðum

Dreifbýli Íslands er vinsæll viðkomustaður erlendra sjálfboðaliða sem gegna fjölbreyttum störfum í stað fæðis og húsnæðis. Aðilar sem ráða til sín sjálfboðaliða eru sakaðir um brot á kjarasamn- ingum og launaþjófnað, vinni sjálfboðaliðar í efnahgslegri starfsemi og á lögbýlum. Markmið greinarinnar er að svara spurningunni: Efla sjálfboða- störf, unnin af erlendum eða innlendum sjálfboðaliðum, byggðarlög sem tóku þátt í verkefninu Brothættar byggðir eða taka þau störf frá fólki sem vildi búa þar ef atvinnutækifæri væru fyrir hendi? Gagna var aflað í fjórum byggðum sem tóku þátt í verkefninu Brothættar byggðir. Haustið 2022 og vorið 2023 voru tekin viðtöl við um 30 einstaklinga. Jafnframt voru auglýsingar greindar, þar sem óskað er eftir sjálfboðaliðum. Viðmælendur sammæltust um þá meginreglu að virða kjarasamninga og að sjálfboða- liðar gengju hvorki í störf fagfólks né skekktu samkeppni á vinnumarkaði. Skipti þá engu hvort þeir væru innlendir eða erlendir. Samhengi sjálfboða- starfanna þótti þó mikilvægt og sjálfsagt að víkja frá meginreglum um kjarasamninga, samkeppni og fagþekkingu ef störfin væru samfélaginu til hagsbóta og yrðu ekki framkvæmd án aðkomu sjálfboðaliða. Viðmæl- endur höfnuðu því að erlendir sjálfboðaliðar tækju launuð störf frá heima- fólki. Þeir töldu að sjálfboðastörfin væru byggðarlögunum mikilvæg og í raun forsenda og lífæð hvers samfélag.Rural Iceland is popular among foreign volunteers, who perform a variety of jobs in exchange for food and housing. Those who recruit volunteers are accused of breaching collective agreements and wage theft when volunteers work in economic activities or on farms. The article aims to answer the question: Promote voluntary work done by for- eign or domestic volunteers, localities that participated in the project “Fra- gile Communities” or do they take jobs from people who would want to live there if there were job opportunities? Data was collected in four areas included in the project “Fragile Communities”. During the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023, about 30 people were interviewed, and advertisements for volunteers were analysed. The interviewees agreed on respecting the labour market rules, independent of whether the volunteers were domes- tic or foreign. The context of voluntary work was seen as necessary and acceptable to disrespect principles of collective agreements, competition, and professional knowledge if it would benefit society. The idea of foreign volunteers taking paid jobs from local people was rejected. The intervie- wees agreed that voluntary work is vital to rural areas and a prerequisite for the communities.Peer reviewe

Iceland and foreign aid: from recipient to donor

Iceland came under the jurisdiction of the Norwegian King in 1262 to later become a colony of Denmark for about 500 years. Already in the second half of the 18th century, the Danish king initiated actions that aimed to improve the precarious situation of the Icelandic population. After independence in 1944, Iceland enjoyed the highest per capita support of the Marchall Plan (European Recovery Program) following World War II. Thereafter Iceland received aid and loans from the World Bank according to which Iceland was a developing country until 1974. In 1981, the Icelandic International Development Agency (Iceida) was established, substituting the office for Iceland´s Assistance to the Developing Countries, and since 2013 it is a formal member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD. Iceida and now Ministry of Foreign Affairs has in recent years been engaged in bilateral collaboration with mostly three countries, one of which is Malawi. The aim of the chapter is to describe and analyze the transformation of Iceland from a net receiver of foreign aid to a donor country, with particular attention given to its involvement in Mangochi District in Malawi in Southern-Africa. From early engagement within the fishing sector at the shores of Lake Malawi in the early 1990s, the focus of the collaboration in the area moved to health services, water-and-sanitation, primary education, and social sector initiatives, later expanded to district-wide support. On the basis of achieved results along the years of collaboration, it is concluded Iceland can constructively contribute to international development in the new Global Agenda 2030 era if due attention is given to the needs of poor people. Finally, it is argued that in addition to multilateral assistance, Iceland on the basis of its history and economic strength can play an important role with partner countries in a bilateral collaboration that addresses sector-wide issues of importance in the daily lives of poor people, as currently is the case in Malawi