Submitted by crinadmin on
The numbers are staggering Every day around the world, millions of children experience violence. Consider the following. In one year, 53,000 children die of homicide, 150 million girls and 73 million boys are sexually assaulted, 126 million children are employed in hazardous work, almost 2 million more are exploited in prostitution and pornography, and around 200 million children witness frequent violence between their parents. And the list goes on. A majority of children around the globe report receiving corporal punishment from their parents and a substantial number report receiving severe corporal punishment with the use of objects. And in many countries children report being bullied or caned in schools, being whipped or caned in penal systems, experiencing widespread community violence of all kinds, and girls report suffering female genital mutilation or cutting. The Study findings Urgent action and follow up needed No country has denied the existence or seriousness of violence against children. When children grow with violence they are at risk of becoming violent themselves. Understanding the urgency of change, 47 countries have now identified national planning on preventing or responding to violence against children as a priority. Some countries have drafted or passed new legislation. But progress is slow and incommensurate with the problem. Ending violence against children requires high-level focus and leadership. A Special Representative on Violence Against Children Among the study’s key recommendations to protect children from violence is the call for the appointment of a Special Representative to the Secretary General. It is a call that has been endorsed by over 1000 non-governmental organizations from 134 countries. It is a call that the international NGO Advisory Council for the UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children – a group representing leading international and national NGOs who work with or for children – believes to be of urgency. The Special Representative would act as a global advocate to promote the prevention and elimination of all violence against children. Collaborating with existing mechanisms and treaty bodies, NGOs, civil society, and children, the Special Representative can foster international commitment, cooperation, and concrete action to end violence against children. Read the case for a Special Representative Negotiations underway Governments are currently negotiating the proposal for a Special Representative at the UN in NY and should act swiftly to approve it. As noted in the Study, all violence against children is preventable and no violence against children is justifiable. Leadership is necessary for action. With the publication and dissemination of the study, violence against children is no longer hidden. We must now ensure that it no longer remains accepted. Statements by NGO Representatives
The shocking scope of violence was brought to light in last year’s UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children. The study describes a global comprehensive assessment of children’s experiences with violence in the five settings in which they grow and learn: their homes and families, their schools, their workplaces and communities, their care and their justice systems. The study reveals that violence against children is not only pervasive in the lives of children, but often it is justified on the basis of traditional practice and discipline.
Further information:
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/International_Call_for_Action_2007.pdf
http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=15285
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15253
http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=15240
http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=15284