Child Slavery in Haiti: The Restavék System and its Impact on the Health & Well-Being of Haitian Children
Charis Stanek, MA | September 23 | 3:15-4:15 PM
Topic: International, Programming | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
The restavék system is a form of forced child labor practices and child trafficking (Kennedy, 2015). Children in domestic servitude are also often deprived of food, have poorer education, worse sleep quality, do not have time to play or do their homework, and are forced to perform excessive labor (Cooper et al., 2012). In the worst-case scenarios, they are victims of physical and sexual violence (Cooper at al., 2012). As a result, restavék children are likely to experience worse mental health outcomes than children not in domestic servitude (Kennedy, 2014). The presenter will explain the need for more detailed research surrounding causes and outcomes of restavék populations. Haiti Now is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting the needs of restavék children and understanding the underlying roots of the rise in restavék children. This presentation not only describes the programming that Haiti Now has accomplished, but also Haiti Now’s current research project investigating the following areas: domestic abuse, access to education, mental health, access to healthcare, and socioeconomic factors impacting the growth or decline of children in the Restavèk’s system. The presenter will explain how this research will contribute to the development of a residential school to support restavék children. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the damage that results from the restavék system, some of the ways in which Haiti Now and other organizations have already intervened, and next steps for addressing this problem.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the impact of the restavék system on youth educational and health outcomes
· Explain the root causes of the restavék system and challenges to intervening
· Describe how the development of residential schools could improve youth outcomes in Haiti