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Summary: This report is the result of a
consultation with children about their
opinions of the outcome document “A
World Fit for Children”. The
consultation took place in Chile in 5
May 2001 and participants were
members of organisations associated
with GAMA, an environmental project
for young people, and their friends.“A World Fit for Children”
The Views of Children and Young people.
Report from a meeting of children from the 6th region of Chile
Rancagua, Chile 5/5/01
The consultation with children about their opinions of the
document “A World Fit for Children” in Chile took place in
Rancagua in the VI region. It was organised by ACHNU
(Asociación Chilena Pro Naciones Unidas), an NGO working for the
promotion of the rights of the child. The participants were
members of organisations associated with GAMA, an
environmental project for young people, and their friends.
The methodology suggested by Save the Children was used, but
due to lack of time not all questions were discussed. After an
initial introduction to the Special Session and the importance of
the opinions of children and young people the participants were
divided into three groups and asked to discuss the document
considering the questions provided by Save the Children. The
questions were divided as follows:
Group 1: Declaration and Plan of Action.
Group 2: Declaration and Goals, Strategies and Actions – Health
and Education
Group 3 Declaration and Goals, Strategies and Actions – Abuse
and HIV/AIDS
Summary of the discussions
Declaration
What are the three most important things which need to be done
to make these 10 principles work for children?
1. Provision of more resources for health and education.
With regards to education the importance of civic education was
emphasised, i.e. the importance of educating children as well as
adults about their civil and human rights. An important part of
implementing the principles in the declaration is that people are
aware of the promises of their governments.
In the area of health it was suggested that a more professional
health service was necessary with better equipment and better
methods of diagnosing illnesses.
It was also pointed out that the Chilean government does not
lack resources but chooses to spend existing resources for
military purposes such as the purchase of fighter jets, rather than
on social services.
2. Better support and resources for institutions and organisations
working with and for children.
The importance that institutions working for children listen to
children in order to gain a better understanding of what they
need and want was discussed.
The government should support the formation of organisations
working with and for children and adolescents.
3. Support for families in order to provide an abuse free
environment for children to grow up in.
4. Children must be included in the work to implement the
principles of the declaration, platforms from which children can
express their opinions should be provided. All institutions dealing
with children and young people of the community should discuss
matters with the children and take into consideration their
opinions.
Plan of Action
1. Creating a child-friendly world.
Do you think that these are the most important issues for
government to address in order to build a better world for and
with children?
Yes, we agree that these issues are important but believe that
the importance of technology is missing from the list. Today
technology is fundamental both in order to adapt to modern
times as well as in order to incorporate children into the modern
world. For example, children living in rural areas and lacking
access to communications technology become isolated both from
urban areas as well as from development and modernisation.
2. Goals, strategies and actions
The following 4 areas have been given a high priority for action
over the next 10 years: Health, Education, Abuse, Violence and
Exploitation and HIV/SIDA
Are their any other issues that need to be included?
Yes, the following:
Recreation, amusement and play.
The protection of the environment
Prevention of social discrimination
Support for the family
What do you think are the biggest problems facing children in
these 4 areas? And what do you think needs to be done about
them?
I. HEALTH
Problem: Difficulty getting access to health care.
Solution: Free heath care for children, both physical and
psychological.
Problem: Inadequate context – health care institutions are not
suitable for children.
Solution: To provide a better environment in these institutions.
Problem: Segregated attention
Solution: The service should be integral and multidisciplinary
Problem: School health services are bad
Solution: They should be more professional.
II. EDUCATION
Problem: The educational reform
Solution: To implement it properly
Problem: Infrastructure
Solution: More and better schools
Problem: They don’t take into consideration the family
Solution: The family should be included in the education of their
children and made to participate. Education shouldn’t be seen as
something that only takes place in schools.
III. ABUSE
Problem: Agricultural Labour
Solutions: Better control/inspection of agricultural labour
Public manifestations and protests
Spread information about the issues
Problem: Abuse within the family
Solutions: Make sure abuse gets reported
Create consciousness about the issues through campaigns,
education and meetings with parents and children.
IV. HIV/AIDS
HIV/SIDA is still taboo in Chile, as sex isn’t something that is
talked about. The theme isn’t dealt with. A first step in solving
this problem is to star talking about the matter.
Age of participants: 14-21
Country: Chile
City/Town/Village: From all communes of the VI region
of Chile
Number of females: 7
Number of males: 12
We would be grateful if you could send the completed report of
the views of children and young people to achnu@achnu.cl , Att:
Consuelo Hernandez.
Thank you.
ACHNU Background Information
La Corporación Asociación Chilena Pro Naciones Unidas (ACHNU)
is a non-governmental organisation with consultative status at
the United Nations and with formal representation at the
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC). ACHNU is a member of the World Federation of United
Nations Associations (WFUNA) and a partner organisation of Save
the Children Sweden.
ACHNU is an institution working with and for children and young
people. It aims to fulfil the rights of children in order to guarantee
their development and happiness, promoting a conception of
children and young people as protagonists of their own lives.
ACHNU implements innovative proposals and methodologies in
political, social and cultural areas.
This institution is affiliated with the Corporación Asociación
Chilena pro Derechos de Niños y Jóvenes (PRODENI). Together
they have successfully carried out original projects, articulating
the desire for change in civil society. ACHNU-PRODENI have, with
the help of funding from various sources, been able to strengthen
the institution, ensuring an accountable and transparent
management, a strong professionalism and the commitment of its
members.
ACHNU is politically and religiously independent. Throughout its
10 years of existence ACHNU has been able to promote the
resolutions and conventions of the United Nations in a pluralist
manner. In this way, ACHNU works actively with the state and
the private sector in order to implement social projects. The
institution has at its core the promotion of innovative forms of
social action avoiding charitable/assistentialist projects. Rather,
the projects aim at the empowerment and strengthening of
existing capacities in order to confront disadvantageous social
conditions.
Brown Norte 379 – Ñuñoa – Santiago – Chile
Tel/Fax: +56 2 223 48 68 / +56 2 274 31 50 / +56 2 341 49 41
e-mail: achnu@achnu.cl
Web: http://www.achnu.cl
pdf: www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/Achnu_Chile_English.pdf