There is no greater gift in this world than a child. All children deserve a childhood free from labor, cruelty, and abuse. Unfortunately given the world we live in, not all children are afforded the carefree childhood they deserve. Human trafficking and especially child trafficking is at an all-time high, and rates of it continue to rise. That does not mean something cannot be done about it. Street Art For Mankind is a non-profit organization that believes in using the power of art to create social change.
Child labor is defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO) as any labor that interferes with the prospect of schooling and the ability to simply have a childhood. It is labor that harms a child’s physical and mental development. According to ILO statistics, there are 152 million children in child labor, 73 million in hazardous work, and 10 million children in modern slavery. There has been at least $150 billion generated in profits from child labor. Common goods in various nations that generate this labor are gold, sugar cane, coffee, bricks, and tobacco, among others.
Street Art For Mankind’s most recent campaign is called #FreeTheChildren, a series of murals created by different artists that are placed around NYC. 9 renowned artists (Lula Goce, JDL StreetArt, Cristian Blanxer, PichiAvo, Adry del Rocio, Ador, Loic Ercolessi, Mister Thoms, Victor Ash) have taken to the streets of NYC in creating hundreds of billboards to generate a conversation to the general public. The billboards tackle 9 different themes or industries that affect children. 5 are geared to garment, mica, consumer goods, and travel industries, while the other 4 hone in on trafficking. The goal of this work is so that “very inspiring visuals that instantly connect the general public with the reality of child trafficking, how it directly affects them and how they can decide to take action.”
These murals and billboards take it a step further via an app called “Behind The Wall”. In this way, the pieces that are placed at various bus stands become an interactive experience for the viewer to be informed on the issue of child trafficking. Here’s how it works: The users download “Behind The Wall”, and scans one of the photos either on a computer or off the billboard. An activist or expert will then deliver a voice-over that informs the user of this issue at hand as a tool of education. Considering how many people tend to have quick access to phones, this is a smart move that quickly educates people on the go. SAM’S press release also mentions how the app and interactive experience is meant to educate and inform globally.
These voice-overs are done by 9 activists, including actresses Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, UN Argentinian Ambassador Maria del Carmen Squeff, New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof, UN French Ambassador Nicholas de Riviere, adjunct Harvard lecturer Siddharth Kara, Cecile Noel a commissioner at the NYC Mayor’s office, and Director-General of ILO Guy Ryder.
Throughout time there have been institutions that posture on promoting art for a social change while gatekeeping the general public and not generating the conversation. Street Art For Mankind is different in this way by making it both accessible and generating conversation. The quickness and accessibility of the artwork itself prove to be key in informing and combating the issue of child trafficking. By making the art appear in everyday places, ensures and generates interest in everyday working-class people, and in doing so draws empathy to the issue.
The International Labor Organization is aiming to combat child labor completely by 2025. Since 2000, 98 million fewer children have been trafficked, and as long as joined efforts persist it can completely be eradicated by 2025. Covid-19 threatens much of the progress that has been made, but with persistence and accessibility children worldwide can have the childhoods they deserve to have.
Images by Just_a_spectator
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