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Summary: UNICEF statement on the occasion of the annual full-day discussion on the Rights of the Child Dialogue on “The fight against sexual violence against children”, 13th Session of the Human Rights Council, 10 March 2010.
Chairperson, Excellencies, colleagues, and friends UNICEF is pleased to address the annual full day discussion on the rights of the child of the Human Rights Council. We would like to thank those organizing this day and express our appreciation for this year’s focus on the fight against sexual violence against children. Sexual violence against girls and boys is a serious human rights violation. Occurring in different forms in all regions around the world, it not only has a devastating, long term impact on the child victim but on the family of the child and the community at large. While sexual violence affects both girls and boys, evidence demonstrates that the majority of the victims are girls. Research also shows that the perpetrators many times are men and boys from the girl’s own family and community. Among other causal factors that need to be addressed, the above finding points to the urgency of addressing the underlying discriminatory norms that perpetuate sexual violence, and other forms of violence and exploitation of girls. This is consistent with the UNICEF Child Protection Strategy, which places specific attention on the role of social norms in the persistence of human rights violations and their abandonment, through the promotion of positive, protective norms and behaviors. A key finding has been the importance of human rights education, including the opportunity for communities to discuss rights and relate them to existing social practices. The participation and empowerment of children is especially important, as well as the engagement of men and boys.The Strategy also stresses the importance of strengthening child protection systems, including legal and policy frameworks, social protection systems and comprehensive services for child victims and witnesses, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards and commitments. UNICEF is committed to assist Member States in their efforts to prevent and respond to the various forms of sexual violence that girls and boys experience, be it in the family, schools, institutions and detention facilities, places where children work or the community - in emergency or non-emergency situations. A concrete example is the Clinton Global Initiative Campaign to End Sexual Violence against Girls. Through this initiative, UNICEF and partners (WHO, UNIFEM, UNFPA, UNAIDS, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the private sector), support Member States in the generation of credible evidence regarding the problem and the development of programmatic responses. Madame Chair/Mr Chair Preventing sexual violence against girls and boys is a human rights imperative. UNICEF urges all Member States to take immediate action to end all forms of sexual violence against children. We offer our technical support to this end and look forward to continued collaboration with all of you. Thank you.