25 October 2005 - CRINMAIL 724
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- INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM: Corporal Punishment Hearing [news]
- PARTICIPATION: Voices of Teenage Girls in the Middle East [publication]
- CHILD PROTECTION: International Conference [event]
- CHILDREN AND HEALTH: New Approach to School Health Promotion [course]
- CRIN SERVICES: Members Survey Results Report [publication]
- EMPLOYMENT: Save the Children - ECPAT - IBCR - ECPAT [job postings]
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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.
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- INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM: Corporal Punishment Hearing [news]
[WASHINGTON DC, 20 October 2005] - Children's rights organisations are calling on the Inter-American human rights system to declare all corporal punishment of children unlawful. At a hearing in Washington, a delegation led by Save the Children Sweden and the Andean Commission of Jurists, requested the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to declare all corporal punishment of children a breach of their human rights.
The petitioners presented the results of research carried out in the region and requested that the Commission seeks an advisory opinion from the Inter-American Human Rights Court. If the Court accepts the petition and issues an advisory opinion which confirms that states have legal obligations to prohibit all forms of corporal punishment, this should speed up the process of law reform across the Americas.
Save the Children believes that physical and humiliating punishment is a form of violence against children and a violation of their right to physical integrity and dignity. In many countries, it remains the one form of assault against a human being that is condoned by law. So far, only 17 states have granted children protection by law from all corporal punishment, including in the family. No countries in the Americas have yet abolished this form of violence, but already four (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru) have prohibition bills before their parliaments.
"The law should send a clear message to society that hitting children is as wrong and as unlawful as hitting anyone else. We cannot hope to reduce the very high levels of violence in our region while we continue to tolerate this most common and accepted form of violence against children", said Denise Stuckenbruck, from Save the Children Sweden.
There is a growing consensus globally amongst human rights monitoring bodies that corporal punishment is a breach of children's human rights. The Committee on the Rights of the Child, other UN human rights treaty bodies, regional human rights mechanisms and high level courts in many countries have concluded that states must eliminate physical punishment.
Paulo Pinheiro, a Member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, is also leading the current UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence against children. Delivering his progress report to the UN General Assembly last week, he said "Violence against children can never be justified. It is perverse that children should still have less legal protection from being hit and humiliated than adults".
At the hearing, Pinheiro said the invitation to seek the advisory opinion was timely, especially as the message from children in all nine regional consultations for the violence study was very clear - we are tired of being beaten! He ended by saying: "I will do everything legal and possible to give impetus to that advisory opinion. I can also guarantee that the Commission will use their creativity to monitor several aspects of the petition".
Peter Newell, from the Global Initiative to End all Corporal Punishment of Children, also at the hearing before the Commission stated "Children have had to wait a long time for confirmation of their equal human right to legal and other protection from being hit, hurt and humiliated by their parents and carers. We hope the Inter-American Commission will help to speed reform on this issue, which is of such fundamental and symbolic importance to children's status as rights holders, as well as to their protection".
To find out about details of legislation in 20 countries in the Americas on the issue of corporal punishment, visit Save the Children's website at: http://www.scslat.org/poniendofin/index_en.php
To read more about the legal status and human rights of the child in the Inter-American human rights system, go to: http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=6366
For information on organisations that took part in the hearing, visit: http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=6351
For background information about the Inter-American Commission, visit: http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=6350
For more information, contact:
Denise Stuckenbruck, Save the Children Sweden
Email: [email protected]
Or Veronica Yates, CRIN
Email: [email protected]
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- PARTICIPATION: Voices of Teenage Girls in the Middle East [publication]
Save the Children Sweden's Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa has just published a report entitled "Woman or Child? Voices of teenage girls in the Middle East", a crucial categorisation of females in the Middle East. In traditional Muslim societies, girls are often doubly marginalised as being both females and children. The title of this report, "Woman or child?", indicates a specific problematic issue in these societies where teenage girls are considered as adult women mature enough for marriage and child-bearing, in addition to a heavy domestic work-load, while still being considered children.
This study investigates the situation of teenage girls between the ages of 12 and 18 with particular emphasis on the issues of participation and non-discrimination - the issue which is explicitly addressed in Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - the latter from the perspective of gender-based discrimination.
Teenage girls in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen have been interviewed for this purpose. These states have signed and ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child, except for Palestine, which could not because it is not recognised as a state. This report emanates as an attempt to listen to these children, and to ground the results on their experiences. The aim is to make a marginalised group of children visible.
For more information, contact:
Elisabet Sundstrom, Regional Communications and Advocacy Officer
Save the Children Sweden, Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa
PO Box 113-7167, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: + 961 (0)1 738 654/5; Fax: + 961 (0)1 739 023
Website: http://www.scsmena.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6403&flag=report
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- CHILD PROTECTION: International Conference [event]
Defence for Children International Netherlands, and other child rights experts have organised an International Conference entitled "100 Years of Child Protection", to be held in November 2005, in The Netherlands.
The objective of the conference is to formulate a set of inspiring recommendations and principles, for everyone working with and for children to fully realise the right to child protection. The main themes of the conference are: child protection by means of mandatory interventions; juvenile delinquency, organisation of youth care services and multiculturalism in youth care.
The official opening of the international conference will be made by the Dutch Minister of Justice, Mr. Piet Hein Donner. The keynote speakers of the conference will be: Prof. Caroline Forder, University of Maastricht, the Netherlands; Prof. Irvin Waller, University of Ottawa, Canada; Velina Todorova, PhD, Plovdiv University, Bulgaria; Prof. Ann Phoenix, Open University, United Kingdom; Professor Peter van der Laan, University of Amsterdam; Dr. Danya Glaser, Children's Hospital, UK; Ms. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Council of Europe, as well as Renato Roseno, CEDECA -Ceará, Brazil.
For more information, contact:
Defence for Children International Netherlands
Cruquiusweg 68-70, 1019 AH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: + 31 20 4203771; Fax: + 31 20 4203832
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.childprotection2005.nl
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6404&flag=event
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- CHILDREN AND HEALTH: New Approach to School Health Promotion [course]
Date: 1-15 February 2006
Location: Karachi, Pakistan
The Child-to-Child Trust is organising an international short course on "Child-to-Child: A FRESH Approach to School Health Promotion" to be held at the Aga Khan University's Institute for Educational Development in Karachi, Pakistan.
The aim of the course is to prepare participants to introduce health promotion in and beyond classrooms into schools and communities and will introduce the new FRESH (Focusing Resources on Effective School Health) initiative of UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, WHO and others including the Child-to-Child Trust. The course is designed for those who are interested in school health promotion and is therefore suited to those who have experience, qualifications or interest in the areas of health, education and development.
Registration deadline: 30 November 2005
For more information, contact:
Farah Babul, Programme Officer
Child-to-Child Trust
20 Bedford Way, London WC1H OAL, UK
Email: [email protected]
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6405&flag=event
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- CRIN SERVICES: Members Survey Results Report [publication]
In mid-2005, the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) conducted a survey of members and individual users of CRIN's products and services. CRIN has just published a report examining the 250 returns from CRIN members. The survey asked about the use and usefulness of CRIN's products and services (CRINMAIL, the website, Newsletters, etc); about which new services and website features users would like to see; about the use of CRIN for networking; and about access to and use of information technology within member organisations.
The report shows a high level of satisfaction with the main CRIN services and yet also relates many good ideas for improvements and innovations. Users often re-circulate CRIN information to others and frequently translate material into local languages. Despite a marked increase in IT access for members, the digital divide between North and South persists, particularly in Africa. For more detailed information about the results of the survey, use the link below.
CRIN staff would like to thank all those who took the time and made the effort to complete and return the survey.
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6375&flag=report
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- EMPLOYMENT: Save the Children - ECPAT - IBCR - ECPAT [job postings]
*SAVE THE CHILDREN ROMANIA: Team Leader - Deputy Team Leader - International Child Rights Expert
Save the Children Romania is seeking professionals to work in an EU-funded project aiming to assist the Romanian authorities in the development of a sustainable social assistance system based on principles of equality and addressing the real needs of all vulnerable groups. It includes monitoring, evaluation and control of all social services and benefits granted.
The specific project objective is to prevent the separation of children at risk from their families and to support maintaining them with their families, through: empowering families and parents by informing them on their responsibilities with regards to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Human Rights Convention; training professional groups such as social workers, doctors, teachers, priests, policemen, lawyers, judges, etc. to develop their capacity to implement effectively the new legislation.
Save the Children Romania seeks three key experts who will have a crucial role to play in implementing the contract: a Team Leader (340 working days); a Deputy Team Leader (340 working days) and an International Child Rights Expert (210 working days). The programme will last for 18 months and start in December 2005 or January 2006.
Application deadline: 28 October 2005
For more information, contact:
Save the Children Romania
3 Intr. Stefan Furtuna, Sector 1 Bucharest 010899, Romania
Tel: + 40 21 316 61 76; Fax: + 40 21 312 44 86
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.salvaticopiii.ro
*ECPAT: Youth Media and Lobbying Consultants
ECPAT International is seeking expressions of interest from media and lobbying consultants to work with child victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSEC) and trafficking, and their caregivers, in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. The media and lobbying training is part of ECPAT's three-year Youth Partnership Project for Child Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation in South Asia, funded by Comic Relief and Christian Aid and implemented in partnership with local partner NGOs in each country, Aparajeyo Bangladesh, Maiti Nepal and Sanlaap India.
ECPAT is looking for two qualified consultants in each country - one in media, one for lobbying and advocacy - to develop advocacy, lobbying and media skills among the young participants to raise their self-esteem and confidence, and to enable them to:
- advocate on behalf of other young victims of commercial sexual exploitation
- influence local and national policy-makers concerning the prevention, protection and rehabilitation of commercially sexually exploited children
- mount awareness campaigns on the risks of CSEC and trafficking; the rights of children; and on HIV/AIDS prevention and care, especially amongst vulnerable groups such as street children and children with disabilities
Application deadline: 31 October 2005
For more information, contact:
Karen Mangnall, Communications Officer
ECPAT International
328 Phaya Thai Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: + 66 2 215 3388; Fax: + 66 2 215 8272
Email: [email protected]
Websites: http://www.ecpat.net, http://www.make-IT-safe.net
* IBCR: Programme Manager, Child Trafficking
The International Bureau for Children's Rights (IBCR) is seeking a full-time Programme Manager to lead the implementation of its programme plan on child trafficking. The incumbent is expected to see to the development, implementation and evaluation of IBCR projects and activities related to the protection of children against trafficking; to network with intergovernmental, governmental, and non-governmental institutions, agencies and organisations working in this field both in Canada and abroad; to co-ordinate and supervise the work of experts, assistants, interns and volunteers who contribute to the implementation of the IBCR's programme plan on child trafficking.
Application deadline: 3 November 2005
For more information contact:
Luc Ouimet, IBCR Administrative Director
International Bureau for Children's Rights
1185, rue St-Mathieu Street, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3H 2P7
Tel: + 1 514 932 7656; Fax: + 1 514 932 9453
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ibcr.org
* ECPAT: Communications Officer
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Duration: Two years, renewable
ECPAT International is currently seeking to recruit a Communications Officer to raise awareness and understanding about all forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children by sharing information and promoting the work of ECPAT International through liaisons with media, other agencies and the ECPAT Board, Secretariat and Network. The Communications Officer's primary tasks will involve: overseeing the awareness, public education and advocacy initiatives undertaken by ECPAT with media around the world; developing ECPAT's communications and media strategy; providing technical support to the ECPAT Secretariat and network; guiding the production of materials promoting standards and ethical practices for protection of children by media; liaising with media, professional associations and other agencies in information sharing about the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the work of ECPAT; 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
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