Tens of thousands of children as young as five are trafficked each year in West and Central Africa. A year ago a ship carrying children into slavery drew international attention to this abuse.

Some 40 children were found on board the Nigerian-registered Etireno after it had been at sea for more than two weeks. On 17 April 2001, the boat docked in Benin; 23 children were between three and 14 years old; 17 were aged 15 to 24. They were being taken from Benin, Mali and Togo to work in Gabon.

In Africa, when children are trafficked they are transported long distances over land as well as by sea. Sometimes there is not enough food or water to last the journey, which can last for days. In some cases children die en route.

At their destination, they are forced to work long hours in a range of occupations, with many working as servants, some on market stalls, in farming, while some girls are forced into prostitution. Many are regularly beaten and they are not allowed to make friends or go to school.

A year on, most of the children who were rescued from the Etireno are in school, apprenticeships or starting legitimate work after being helped by social workers in Togo and the organisations Terre des Hommes and SOS Children's Village in Benin.

The captain, co-captain and man who chartered the boat remain in jail in Benin charged with illegally transporting foreign children. In most cases, regardless of the country, the penalty for trafficking children is low and does not act as a deterrent.

Anti-Slavery believes all countries in West and Central Africa need to harmonise their laws on trafficking. In particular, adopting common definitions of what constitutes trafficking and occupations in which it is illegal to 'employ' children. Penalties also need to be sufficiently severe to act as a deterrent. Some progress was made in December and March at regional conferences on this issue. Governments promised future action against child trafficking, but no moves have yet resulted.

Anti-Slavery's new campaign video on trafficking

Take action against trafficking

Listerners in the UK: On Sunday 21 (7:55am; 9:25pm) and Thursday 25 April (3:27pm), Saira Shah, television journalist of the year, will be presenting Anti-Slavery's appeal for child trafficking in West Africa, BBC Radio 4 Appeal.