Child labor and slavery: the case of the Haitian Restavek system.

Abstract

The present dissertation aims at shedding light on slavery, especially child labor and the case of the Haitian restavek system. After introducing the general topic of child labor and modern slavery, I will focus on the restaveks i.e., children coming from very poor families (usually based on rural areas) adopted by new families (the latter living in urban areas) who, in theory, can afford to take care of another child. The restavek child, in exchange for some domestic work, has the possibility to go to school and can think of a better future. If some cases have been successful in it, plenty of children have been actually exploited, sometimes even abused, thus becoming pure slaves.

It is hard to gather correct and precise information since it is a form of covered slavery. However, some studies have demonstrated that restavek children are malnourished, lack of basic hygiene, are obliged to serve the family they live with, denying them the rights they should have as children.

The origin of the restavek system has to be found in the remote past of the history of Haiti. There are similar processes in Africa, where the Haitian roots can be found. As a matter of fact, I will narrate Haitian history, its revolution originated by slaves and its nowadays reality. I will also open a parenthesis concerning the history of education in Haiti.