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Summary: Families and State institutions are the main
sites of violence against children and young
people. This is one of the main conclusions of
the Latin American Regional Consultation for
the UN Study on Violence which brought
together more than 250 experts for three
days and closed yesterday in Buenos Aires.
FAMILY AND INSTITUTIONS: The Main Sites of Violence against Children and
Young People [news]
Families and State institutions are the main sites of violence against
children and young people. This is one of the main conclusions of the Latin
American Regional Consultation for the UN Study on Violence which
brought together more than 250 experts for three days and closed
yesterday in Buenos Aires.
"The consolidation of democracies in Latin America will only be possible if
the region’s children learn about liberty and non-violence, and their rights
are protected," said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Independent Expert
appointed by the UN Secretary-General to head-up the Study on Violence
against Children. "The reports of the last few days indicate, sadly, that
values held in the family and in institutions are authoritarian values which
use violence as their main instrument."
Violence in the home unfolds in the private sphere which is dominated by
deep-rooted machista and authoritarian practices. Girls are most affected
by domestic violence, particularly in cases of sexual abuse. According to
Nils Kastberg, Regional Director of UNICEF for Latin America and the
Caribbean, "Silence and an unacceptable social tolerance of violence in the
domestic sphere contributes to the generalised state of impunity. We need
a social movement in which all the people of Latin America break this
silence - now." Most violence against children happens behind closed
doors and is committed by adults they know and trust – parents, family
members and friends. Often the children suffer in silence because they are
scared to speak out or because they fear punishment.
Violence in institutions such as police stations and prisons is also prevalent
in the region, according to the experts and children who participated in the
Consultation. "Instead of playing their role of protector and defending the
best interests of the child, States often perpetrate violence against
children and abuse their rights," said Roberto Garretón, Director of the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The experts' recommendations for tackling these human rights violations
focus on States' obligations to adopt all administrative, legislative and
financial measures possible to protect children from all forms of
violence. "Political will must translate into budgetary resources that
guarantee that Latin American States stand by the commitments they
have made," said Professor Pinheiro.
The Latin American Regional Consultation was jointly organised by UNICEF,
the Government of Argentina, the Interamerican Commission for Human
Rights, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, the Panamerican Health Organisation (PAHO) and a regional
committee of NGOs.
Buenos Aires Declaration
The Latin American Consultation closed yesterday with the participation of
government ministers from countries across Latin America, including the
Argentinian Minister for Education - Daniel Filmus, the Brazilian Minister for
Human Rights - Nilmario Miranda, and vice-ministers from Argentina,
Bolivia, El Salvador and Uruguay.
The political representatives decided to sign up to the "Declaration of
Buenos Aires on Violence against Children and Young People", which will
make an important contribution to the Secretary-General’s Study on
Violence against Children which will be presented to the General Assembly
in 2006.
The Declaration addresses different forms of violence and states that Latin
America is one of the most violent regions in the world and that children
are the main victims. The document recommends changes in social,
cultural, political and juridical frameworks including the minimum age of
criminal responsibility. It makes other recommendations such as
establishing laws against corporal and psychological punishment as
disciplinary measures and ensuring equal access to a good quality, free
education.
For more information, contact: Paula Chinellato, Communications Officer,
UNICEF Argentina. Email: pchinellato@unicef.org Tel. (54 11) 5093-7144.
Mobile: Llamadas desde el extranjero (0054) 9 11 49 73 32 86. From
Argentina: 1549733286
María Blanco, Communications Officer for UNICEF Regional Office for Latin
America and the Caribbean. Email: mblanco@unicef.org Llamadas desde el
extranjero: 0054-9-11- 5744-8797// From Argentina 1549733286
Owner: UNICEFAssociation: UNICEF