20 October 2005 - CRINMAIL 723
___________________________________________________________
- CHILDREN AND POVERTY: PRSP Processes in Africa [publication]
- AFRICA: Neglect of AIDS Orphans Fuels School Drop-Out [publication]
- UNITED KINGDOM: Tackling Youth Anti-Social Behaviour [conference]
- CHILD PROTECTION: Spiritual Abuse Research Project [news]
- PARTICIPATION: Youth Voice Road Shows in the UK [events]
- SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: Protection of Minors Project [website]
- EMPLOYMENT: ECPAT - Consortium for Street Children [job postings]
___________________________________________________________
Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at [email protected]. Adobe Acrobat is required for viewing some of the documents, and if required can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html If you do not receive this email in html format, you will not be able to see some hyperlinks in the text. At the end of each item we have therefore provided a full URL linking to a web page where further information is available.
___________________________________________________________
- CHILDREN AND POVERTY: PRSP Processes in Africa [publication]
About 15 years ago on September 2nd 1990 the International Convention on the Rights of the Child entered into force. By now 192 States have ratified this Convention and it can be concluded that they have taken many measures in terms of legislation and policy development to respect, protect and promote the implementation of the rights of the child.
But it also became very clear as acknowledged by the Secretary General of the UN in his report to the General Assembly in 2002 that poverty is the major obstacle in the realisation of children's rights. The member States of the United Nations have committed themselves to reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than one dollar a day by 2015.
One of the measures to achieve this goal is the promotion, in particular by the World Bank, of the development and implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, especially in the developing countries that face high levels of poverty. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has regularly observed that governments while acknowledging that children suffer the most from poverty, do not at all or insufficiently include children in the measures they undertake to address poverty.
The Committee is of the opinion (see its Concluding Observations for Rwanda of June 2004, CRC/C/15 Add. 234) that the respect for the implementation of the rights of children must be made a primary consideration in the implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers.
The study undertaken at the request of Kindernothilfe shows that States Parties to the CRC still have a long way to go when it comes to ensuring that the plight of children is fully acknowledged and that the rights of children are respected and promoted in their poverty reduction strategies. Hundreds of millions of children are deprived of most of their rights due to poverty. They should be the first to benefit from the poverty reduction efforts.
For more information, contact:
Petra Stephan, Kindernothilfe
Düsseldorfer Landstraße 180, 47249 Duisburg, Germany
Tel: + 49 180 33 33 300; Fax: + 49 203 7789 118
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.kindernothilfe.de
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6361
--------------------------------
- AFRICA: Neglect of AIDS Orphans Fuels School Drop-Out [publication]
[JOHANNESBURG, 11 October 2005] - Government neglect of millions of children affected by HIV/AIDS is fuelling school drop-out across East and Southern Africa, Human Rights Watch charged in a new report released last week. The region faces an unprecedented number of orphans, and governments must take urgent steps to keep these children in school and protect them from exploitation and other abuse.
The 55-page report, "Letting Them Fail: Government Neglect and the Right to Education for Children Affected by AIDS," is based on firsthand testimony from dozens of children in three countries hard-hit by HIV/AIDS: South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda. It documents how governments fail children affected by AIDS when they leave school or attempt to return. Churches and community-based organisations provide critical support to these children, but these groups frequently operate with little government support or recognition.
Human Rights Watch is holding a brown bag presentation on the report on Wednesday 2nd November.
For more information, contact:
Jennifer Nagle, Human Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500, US
Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: + 1 212 216 1831
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.hrw.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6360
--------------------------------
- UNITED KINGDOM: Tackling Youth Anti-Social Behaviour [conference]
Date: 22 November 2005
Location: London, UK
The Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE)'s annual conference will be held in November and will be on the theme of "Children's Rights and the Anti-Yob Culture". Both Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England, and Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, will be speaking on this theme. There will also be discussion groups on Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), schools and prisons run by various organisations leading in these fields.
At the conference, CRAE will also be launching its report "State of Children's Rights in England 2005", the acclaimed annual review that highlights key developments - positive as well as negative - in children's human rights over the past 12 months.
For more information, contact:
Sharan Jeer, Office Manager
Children's Rights Alliance for England
94 White Lion Street London N1 9PF, UK
Tel: + 44 20 7278 8222 ext. 20; Fax: + 44 20 7278 9552
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.crae.org.uk
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6359&flag=event
--------------------------------
- CHILD PROTECTION: Spiritual Abuse Research Project [news]
Viva Network is a faith-based NGO seeking to unite, connect and support the Christian response to 'children at risk' through the development of networks. Their fifth international 'Cutting Edge' conference took place in September in the UK, with 400 delegates from over 90 countries.
Immediately after the conference, a group of participants from a diversity of countries and continents came together to discuss the issue of protecting children from 'spiritual abuse' within a Christian context and in light of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The intentions were to:
(a) Agree a definition of 'spiritual abuse' specific to a Christian setting
(b) Create a list of indicators that 'spiritual abuse' might be taking place
(c) Integrate both (a) and (b) into existing child protection policies within Christian projects, programmes and organisations.
At this stage, the group decided not to comment on 'spiritual abuse' in the context of other faiths. However, the outcomes may become adaptable in due course.
For more information, and for a copy of the definition and indicators, contact:
Joanna Watson, Advocacy Facilitator
Viva Network - "Together for Children"
PO Box 633, Oxford, OX2 0XZ, United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 (0)1865 320 123; Fax: + 44 (0)1865 320 101
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.viva.org
--------------------------------
- PARTICIPATION: Youth Voice Road Shows in the UK [events]
Dates: 19 November (Cardiff) and 3 December 2005 (Newcastle)
UNICEF's Youth team will be holding two road shows in Cardiff and in Newcastle, UK. The 'Youth Voice' Road Shows are free local events intended to engage young people between the ages of 11 and 18 in international issues that affect children's rights.
UNICEF thus hopes to inspire and empower them to act as young campaigners and fundraisers through a series of information and training workshops. There will also be a free buffet of international cuisine, African Drumming and Capoeira/Bollywood dancing.
For more information, contact:
Emily Evans, Youth Voice
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7312 7711
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7405 2332
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unicef.org.uk/youthvoice
Visit:
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6362&flag=event (Cardiff)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6363&flag=event (Newcastle)
--------------------------------
- SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: Protection of Minors Project [website]
The supra-regional project "Protection of Minors against Sexual Exploitation" of the GTZ (German Technical Co-operation) acting on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development BMZ has recently launched its website. The website offers background information and an overview on the projects' approach and activities.
The project supports partner countries on behalf of BMZ in implementing the Optional Protocol on the Sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. In this way it is contributing to international responsibility for protecting children and young people. It co-operates with both international partners and German organisations and government agencies.
Visit:
http://www.gtz.de/nochildabuse (German)
http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/soziale-entwicklung/gesundheit-bevoelkerung/... (English)
Information sheets and further material can be found at:
http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/soziale-entwicklung/gesundheit-bevoelkerung/...
--------------------------------
- EMPLOYMENT: ECPAT - Consortium for Street Children [job postings]
* ECPAT INTERNATIONAL: Information Officer
Starting date: 9 January 2006
ECPAT International is looking for an Information Officer to provide a comprehensive information service to the global ECPAT International network and child rights community and to support ECPAT member groups to develop their information and resource services at the national and local level. Primary Tasks involve: supervising the development and operation of the Information and Education Department; providing technical support to regional and thematic programmes and special projects of ECPAT International; supporting ECPAT groups to assess their information resource management capacity; compiling specialised information to support the ECPAT Secretariat and network on programmes; liasing with the network members, ECPAT International staff and specialists to oversee the production of major ECPAT publications; etc.
Application deadline: 18 November 2005
For more information, contact:
ECPAT International
328 Phaya Thai Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Fax: + 662 215-8272
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ecpat.net
* CONSORTIUM FOR STREET CHILDREN: Administrator (part-time)
The Consortium for Street Children (CSC) is a well-established NGO working to promote and protect the rights of street children in the developing world. CSC is looking for a part-time administrator to be in charge of basic administrative duties along with book-keeping and website tasks in its London office. The opportunity also exists for the post-holder to learn more about international development and to be involved in CSC projects.
Application deadline: 21st November 2005
For more information, contact:
Angela Murray, Consortium for Street Children
Unit 306, Bon Marche Centre
241-251 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8BJ, UK
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7274 0087
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.streetchildren.org.uk
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
The CRINMAIL is an electronic mailing list of the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN). CRIN does not accredit, validate or substantiate any information posted by members to the CRINMAIL. The validity and accuracy of any information is the responsibility of the originator.
To subscribe, unsubscribe or view list archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.
___________________________________________________________
