Trafficked: Afghanistan’s Neglected Boys (10/24, 4:30pm)

Boys in Afghanistan are more likely to be at risk of trafficking than girls. Nevertheless, little is known about the extent, nature, and experiences of male child trafficking in Afghanistan. What attention there is has focused solely on the bacha (dancing boys) tradition, creating a narrow understanding of the challenges facing boys in Afghanistan. New research gives insights into the nature and extent of male child trafficking, as well as the existing structures involved in victim identification and prosecution. Jane Thorson is the education and technical advisor for Hagar Afghanistan. She lead the program’s research on male child trafficking in 2012 and subsequently designed a culturally appropriate residential-based recovery program, which opened in 2013. Jane received her Ed.M. in International Education Development from Boston University.