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Summary: Children's contributions to the study.
- CHILDRENāS PARTICIPATION: āListen up! We Need a Space to Participateā
Prior to the Consultation, 2,000 children from 17 countries across Latin
America participated in working to contribute their recommendations to the
Study. The focus groups which were co-ordinated by Save the Children
Norway, were divided according to their economic situation; the area in
which they lived (rural or urban); ethnicity; disability; age and gender.
Children from Argentina reported that most violence takes place within the
family, in schools and in the community. The home is a site of physical,
psychological, and, to a lesser extent, sexual violence. They said the main
causes of violence within the family were the use of drugs and alcohol as
well as parentās lack of education. In schools they said violence was a
result of teachersā impatience, poor anger management and frustration.
The children also reported on violence amongst their peers, which they
said was a product of violence in the home and the environment in which
they live. Commenting on violence in their communities, they mentioned
the prevalence of gangs, drug and alcohol abuse, and the lack of places
where young people could meet up. They said that the responsibility for
this lay with the State because of the lack of opportunities, jobs and
education.
One boy said āItās the governmentās fault that thereās so much violence in
Argentina: itās the government that doesnāt look after the children, that
doesnāt take charge when it should, and that the police abuse their
positions of power (17 year-old from Buenos Aires).
Disabled children said that the most severe form of violence they
experience is discrimination: the lack of ramps in the street, the lack of
awareness of employees on public transport who do not want to take
wheelchairs, the lack of opportunities they have in finding work and the
rejection they feel on a daily basisā¦ One girl from ChascomĆŗs said that
sign language should be taught āWe are people too and we want to have
some opportunitiesā.
Ingrid Porras JimƩnez, Coordinator of the Regional Secretariat for the
Study, said āThe children who participated clearly identified the different
types of violence, and made an appeal to the authorities to act on this
issue, but above all else, to listen to them because they have a lot to sayā¦
Once more the worldās children say to the world of adultsā¦LISTEN UP, WE
WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO US, WE NEED A SPACE TO PARTICIPATEā¦ā
More information about the children's working groups across Latin America
will be made available on this site shortly.Owner: Ingrid Porras JimƩnezAssociation: Regional Secretariat for the UN Study on Violence