Poverty, which has placed Egypt high on the list of the most miserable countries, has now prompted some families in the Qaliubia Governorate, north of Cairo, to sell their offspring to Egyptian expatriates living in European countries. According to the shocking story as revealed by an independent newspaper, 500 children were given up by their parents under the term ‘adoption'. Adoption in Islam is somewhat different from the western concept, as children fostered by other families can neither carry the family name of the new parent, nor become heirs. It might have been the hope of a better future for their children that lured parents to hand their children over to other families. But given the high rate of poverty in that governorate, financial need must have been the primary motivation. The official response to the published story was a report filed by Minister of the Population and Family Affairs Moshira Khattab to the chief Prosecutor asking for an investigation of the incident as a crime against human rights and a return to ‘slavery' in a modern form. Child trafficking does exist in Egypt involving child labour and kidnapping for begging purposes, but a collective incident (if the story turns to be true) is somewhat rare. Public opinion is anxiously awaiting a report revealing the details. It might not be strange that all the cases took place in one governorate, since brokers usually target a single place where word spreads about certain practices. For instance, Hawamdiya in the Giza governorate is known to be a supplier of young girls whose families compel them to marry rich elderly Arabs. No doubt, each and every child in the case has a heart-breaking story that should prompt a social and economic survey of the living conditions in that governorate. Needless to say, offering facilities to help citizens of these impoverished areas get involved in small businesses is usually a good solution to raise their standards of living.
