International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children: Check Vale’s Efforts Against this Practice

9/23/2020

International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children: Check Vale's Efforts Against this Practice

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​​ Nearly 25,000 cases of human trafficking were reported to the UN in 2016. 59% of all victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. Among them, 75% were female. The reality is alarming and urges all sectors of society to join efforts to tackle the problem. Vale has carried out several initiatives to raise employee awareness against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents through a partnership with Childhood Brasil. The company supports the Na Mão Certa (On the Right Track) Program, which is aimed at mobilizing truck drivers to confront child and adolescent sexual exploitation on Brazilian roadways. Between July and August, more than 70 Vale employees from warehouses, front gates and tax offices in Pará and Maranhão were trained to protect the rights of children and adolescents. The goal is to teach these employees to deal with the issue in case direct or third-party employees are suspected to be involved in this type of situation near Vale's operations. The warehouses, front gates and tax offices deal with a large number of truck drivers from transport service providers who are likely to witness daily situations of child sexual exploitation on Brazilian highways. By expanding its awareness-raising measures, Vale seeks to contribute to reducing the number of cases of child exploitation and help disseminate information on the subject. Partnership with Childhood Vale adhered to Childhood's Corporate Pact in December 2019 to implement the Na Mão Certa (On the Right Track Program). The institution was created in 1999 by Queen Silvia of Sweden as part of the World Childhood Foundation (Childhood), an international organization that works to safeguard the rights of children and adolescents and prevent and mitigate the consequences of sexual abuse of children. Since then, Childhood has forged partnerships with companies, governments and third-sector organizations to create projects to protect children and adolescents through public and private policies. In 2006, the Institution created the Na Mão Certa (On the Right Track) Program to mobilize truck drivers to confront child and adolescent sexual exploitation on Brazilian roadways. To help shed light on the issue, Childhood Brasil provided technical support for the documentary Um Crime Entre Nós (A Crime Amongst Us), produced by Maria Farinha Filmes, Instituto Liberta, and Alana. In a thought-provoking look into the fight to end sexual abuse of children and adolescents, influencers Jout and Luciano Huck and experts Dráuzio Varella, Gail Dines, and Consuela Lopes Leitão join forces with people who work for the cause and for public security to investigate and warn society of the consequences of turning the blind eye to the issue and the importance of reporting this type of abuse. To watch the documentary, click on the exclusive link (see below) released on the invitation and sign up to the Videocamp page (if you are not registered yet). ​

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