Have seen this program advertised thought I would postIthere so you can at least tell your family and friends to watch.

I'm sure it will stir much debate on this forum but the program is on this evening Please tell your family and friends to watch.

This World: Child Slavery with Rageh Omaar

BBC 2 21:00 to 22:30


The reporter travels across South America, Africa and Asia to investigate why modern society is still allowing 8.4 million children worldwide to be bought and sold as commodities. In addition to his own incredible journey, the presenter looks at the stories of five child slaves, including a young fisherman in Ghana and a Cambodian sex slave in a Phnom Penh brothel. Part of the BBC's Abolition season

It's so disturbing...

It is sad all of it was there is no denying that. I didn't like the fisherman at all. However, in many countries like those that were featured in this documentary none of these countries have a welfare system in place that will support the poor. It is every man or woman for themselves in these countries. Many do not send their children to do such illegal work but for some although i do not agree with it they may feel they have no other choice than to send their child to work or their whole family will go hungry.
If there was no DHSS in this country some people would maybe be sending their children out to work as well.
Life is different as well and some children in Africa and Asia grow up quicker and take on more family responsibility than some children do in the West.

One thing I have to say about the program despite being very disturbed by many of the things I saw .

But I have to give Rageh Omaar praise where praise is due he actualy managed to present a very balanced view into the disturbingissue of child slavery and he looked atit from. The issue of exploitation, the childs perspective, The parents perspective,and the issue of poverty.

He explained andwent into the issues of why it happens the issue of extremepoverty in the countries he visitedand he interviewed those directlyaffected.

It's very rare to get such a balanced program on such a disturbing subject as child slavery. The important thing was that you were left looking at the issue from all angles as well as being horified by what you saw.

I think Rageh omaar got the balance just right on this,I alsoliked his presenting style, his use of language and his aproach. I shall bekeeping an eyeout formore of his work in the future.

The fisherboys in Ghana thing I wasn't exactly sure of. I mean I don't know what happens to them as adults. I couldn't quite see it as slavery in the same sense as some of the other things. I mean for a start there was consent, not only of the boy themselves but the parent too. Now some will say a kid shouldn't make such decisions but in reality what else is that boy going to do in life? That looked like an apprenticeship to me. The older boys seemed to have more independance, ran their own boats and the supposed master himself came up that way to run his business. I think that was a case merely of cultural differences.

The part that upset me was the Cambodian thing. Earth is a sick sick place.

upset i missed this as this is something i used to research.

must see if i can get hold of a recording or check bbc site