NETHERLANDS: Violence Against the Girl Child

Summary: The theme of the conference is violence against girls in the home and family setting. The UN Secretary-General’s study on Violence against Children by Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro will serve as a reference for discussion.

 During the conference, participants will share experience, knowledge and best practices about measures to improve the situation of girls. The aim is for the conference to be a practical follow-up to the Pinheiro report by demonstrating how its recommendations can be effectively implemented. To achieve it, 125 delegates have been invited from all over the world, including experts, academics, and representatives of NGOs and government authorities, regional bodies and international organisations.

Why this conference

In 2007, the Dutch government adopted a human rights strategy for foreign policy, in which the rights of the child were identified as a top priority. The more vulnerable a person is, the more important that they be aware of their rights and be able to seek help in asserting them. This applies to children in particular.

The UN studies on violence against women and children published in 2006 showed that girls are especially vulnerable to all forms of violence. Every year, millions of girls are aborted or killed shortly after birth simply because their families are unable to pay for their upbringing and dowry. Often, girls do not go to school but are made to contribute to the household budget. They are more likely than boys to be sold or married off at a young age. Where money is available for health care, it is more often spent on boys than on girls.

Although the two UN studies have considered specific aspects of violence against girls, it will take much more to ensure that this highly vulnerable group receives the attention it deserves internationally. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is therefore organising an international conference on violence against the girl child, in collaboration with the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre and the Interministerial Programme for Youth and Families, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. In this way, the Netherlands is seeking to promote action to end violence against girls.

Further information

Owner: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Web: 
http://www.girlchildconference.com/

Countries

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