Jackie Chan Helps Combat Child Trafficking

Action star Jackie Chan will spend 3 days in Myanmar this week his role as UNICEF goodwill ambassador. The 58-year-old actor will meet children who have been victims of trafficking who are recovering from the devastating effects of this crime.

He will also meet with officials in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and members of Myanmar’s Police Anti-Trafficking Task Force in Mandalay to explore the situation further.

HumanTrafficking.org lists Myanmar as both “a source and transit country for human trafficking,” and says that “Burma’s military regime is the main perpetrator of human trafficking abuses both within the country and abroad.” Myanmar is only one of many countries where human trafficking is prevalent.

Chan plans to speak to Myanmar youth on preventative measures they can avail themselves of. His message is knowing some very important things to begin with: “Simple things, like knowing not to trust anyone who promises you a dream job in another country; never going to an unknown place alone; knowing your parents’ and your own full name and age; and being able to explain where you live, help children guard against traffickers.”