Ukraine Orphanages Feeder for Child Trafficking

Laurie Ahern - Huffington Post Blog

In her article for Huffington Post’s “The Blog,” Laurie Ahern, President of Disability Rights International, writes about the increased risk of child trafficking experienced by children, particularly those with disabilities, in Ukraine’s orphanages. The article references a recent report published by Disability Rights International entitled "No Way Home: The Exploitation and Abuse of Children in Ukraine's Orphanages" and highlights the many dangers to children in institutions in Ukraine that the report identified, including trafficking and abuse. Ahern calls on donors to de-fund orphanages in order to put an end to these crimes. “No donor would ever intentionally help support such a heinous crime,” she says,” “but until the flow of money is diverted to assist vulnerable families -- rather than funding orphanages -- that is exactly what is being done."