By Rebecca Nhep, Kate van Doore

  Orphanage trafficking refers to the process of children being transferred or recruited into orphanages for the purpose of exploitation and profit. Whilst much work is being done on strengthening child protection systems and deinstitutionalisation, orphanage trafficking as a driver of institutionalisation remains under researched despite being an issue that heavily impacts upon the ongoing institutionalisation of children. In some countries, an ‘orphanage industry’ has even emerged due to the high levels of tourist, volunteer and foreign donor interest in assisting orphaned children. As the first project of its kind in the world, this study assesses the legal, policy and procedural frameworks in both domestic and international law across Nepal, Uganda and Cambodia, where orphanage trafficking continues to undermine domestic efforts to stem the overuse of institutionalisation of children.

Brisbane: Griffith University, 2021. 66p.