SANDRA GIDLEY SHOWS MPs HOW TO TAKE 'THREE SMALL STEPS TO PROTECT CHILD VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING'

12.00.00am GMT Fri 29th Feb 2008

Hampshire and Southampton MP, Sandra Gidley, hosted an event at Parliament this week in support of a campaign to tackle child trafficking.

Sandra was joined by Darren Bennett, past winner of the highly successful BBC One show 'Strictly Come Dancing' and supporter of children's rights. Sandra demonstrated to MPs how to take "Three Small Steps" to help the victims of child trafficking* with a difference by doing a short Salsa routine. Darren gave pedometers to all attending MPs to help them measure their 'Three Small Steps'.

Sandra Gidley MP said:

"The campaign calls are really just three small steps in the context of how much needs to be done to better protect child victims of trafficking, but their achievement will speed up progress in many other areas of their care and protection.

"Women and children come to this country every day only to face a life of forced prostitution and forced labour. This campaign will hopefully raise awareness of this abhorrent practice and will aid practical steps to help trafficking victims.

"The Government is quite right to consider new proposals to tackle child trafficking, but it is sending out mixed messages by continuing to refuse to ratify up to the Council of Europe Convention on Human Trafficking.

"32 states, from Albania to the Ukraine, have now ratified this convention, while the UK government has spent more than 12 months "considering its position" and has still not ratified the convention. It's time for the UK government to stop dragging its feet.

"The only way we will stamp out this evil trade is through a common and integrated approach across Europe that provides strong preventative measures and minimum standards for the treatment of victims"

Some progress has already been made on one of the campaign calls - on 14 January the Government announced that it will review the UK reservation on immigration and nationality on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Christine Beddoe, Director of ECPAT UK, said:

"We welcome the Government's decision to review the UK reservation on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on immigration and nationality, but the review must be carried out with transparency and the views of all those consulted must be given equal weight."

Sandra with 'Strictly Come Dancing' star, Darren Bennet, signs up to the campaign

ENDS