News
- “Bolivia is not doing enough to protect girls against sexual violence"
- New projects against child exploitation in Ehiopia
- Government promises action against Dutch pedophiles in foreign countries
- Bangladeshi projects make headlines in Dutch newspapers
- Foundation stone for new vocational training institute in Bangladesh
- Project Partner Koinonia helps flood victims return to school
- Terre des Hommes hospital ship no longer needed
- Flood relief in Sri lanka
- Terre des Hommes draws the attention of the United Nations to the human rights of trafficked children
- The Hague Global Child Labour Conference
- For a reinforcement of children’s rights
Working children
13 year old Nandini, seen in the picture above, never went to school. She works as a weaver to supplement her family's income. Thanks to local project partner Society for Human Education (SHE) Nandini attends non formal education classes for out-of-school children. Non formal education provides working children the opportunity to study at a convenient place, pace and time. Nandini is studying for her 10th standard diploma.
Government promises action against Dutch pedophiles in foreign countries
A 38-year-old sailing instructor who was convicted in the Netherlands in 2004 for sexual abuse of a minor boy was recently arrested in Cambodia on suspicion of similar offenses. Terre des Hommes’ partnerorganisation APLE contributed significantly in collecting evidence. A Dutch crime program reported about this case which has been watched by well over a million people. Terre des Hommes-director Albert Jaap van Santbrink was being interviewed and emphasized a stronger role of the Dutch government in the prosecution of Dutch pedophiles abroad.
His pleading has been answered by the Dutch minister Ivo Opstelten of Security and Justice who said in the parliament that he will make ‘every effort’ to tackle child sex tourism. Together with his colleague Rosenthal of Foreign Affairs Opstelten will make a plan what the Netherlands internationally can do to prevent Dutch pedophiles abusing children over the border. First of all they want to find out how many exit visas for high-risk countries such as Cambodia have been granted.
Orphanage
The 38-year-old Dutch suspect who was arrested in Cambodia was director of an orphanage. He is under suspicion of sexual abuse of five minor children. The Cambodian authorities were not informed about the criminal history of the man in the Netherlands. Terre des Hommes strongly favors that in cases like these the Dutch embassy gives all necessary information to police and justice in the country where a Dutch pedophile has been arrested. “This is not the first case of a Dutch pedophile abusing children abroad. A good exchange of information between countries is a prerequisite to successfully prosecute suspects of sex offenses against children,” said Terre des Hommes-director Albert Jaap van Santbrink.
