DAUGHTERS OF A KING
ECUADOR and CHILD
BROTHELS
Reported by : Ebony Murrell Contributing Editor : Kerry Wheeler
DOAK Magazine
Image Artwork by OnPath TM Graphics
Ecuador is a country located on the equator of South America ' s west coast . Its beautiful landscape includes the Amazon rain forest , Andes mountains , and the Galápagos Islands .
It is also the source , transit , and destination country for the trafficking of men , women , and children , specifically in forced sexually exploitation and labor ( U . S . Department of State ).
The Children of Ecuador According to a report by Humanium , while Ecuador has greatly improved laws and rights for its children , there is much more work to do , notably in education , health care , gender equality and general living conditions .
Statistics from 2014 show children and adolescents make up 37 % of the population of Ecuador . Poverty is one the biggest problems the government is facing , despite efforts to reduce its prevalence . Many regions , especially rural areas , suffer from chronic malnutrition . Fifty percent of children and adolescents live in poor households , often overcrowded , without access to clean water , sanitation or health care facilities .
Child marriage is another problem . Although a violation of human rights , it is legal in Ecuador , allowing for girls to marry at 12 and boys at 14 . This practice limits young girls to the role of reproduction and domestic servitude , without any prospect of furthering education or opportunities for a better life . Even still , the percentage of unwed , teenage mothers is high among girls between the ages of 10 and 14 .
Child Brothels and Human Trafficking Another human rights issue is the age of sexual consent . In Ecuador , it is 14 and girls can start working legally in brothels at 15 , but according to the Organization of International Migration , many are starting as young as 11 .
Extreme poverty , homelessness , and family violence leave children vulnerable to the high demand of child sex workers and lures pedophiles to the capital of Quito and Ecuador ' s port cities like Guayaquil and Esmeraldas .