When Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy was asked to comment on the attitude of bacha baziin Afghanistan her instant reply was “Let’s not talk about it.”
Literally translated, bacha bazi means “playing with kids,” and is slang for sexual slavery and child prostitution that thrives across Afghanistan and certain parts of Pakistan. Prepubescent boys between ages of 14 to 18 are sold to wealthy and powerful patrons for entertainment and illicit sex. Women are not allowed to dance in public, and so the boys are made to perform feminine gestures and acts.
Beardless and effeminate boys are highly sought after by patrons, often powerful merchants or warlords who can indulge with impunity. Large halls are used as venues for the parties, where the boys dance clad in women’s clothing with bells tied to their feet and a scarf wrapped around their face as they parade for hours. The parties also provide an opportunity for buying and selling. Once the party concludes the boys are sold to the highest bidder or shared for sex. In return they are given small tokens of money and food.
This tradition is seeing a revival in the north of the country. Former commanders in the Northern Alliance are a part of a syndicate that is resurrecting bacha bazi, which serves as a status symbol. For those who cannot afford to buy children, DVDs are sold openly on the streets. Some boys are sold by their parents, others are lured from the streets with the promise of a better life.
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