The United Nations Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children:
This study was published in August 2006. The whole document can be accessed via a special website http://www.violencestudy.org/r25 that has been set up to highlight the issues raised.
It is a 34 page document and, although very readable, in essence it states -
Violence against children is identified as:
All forms of physical, mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse
- Protection of children from violence is a matter of urgency.
- Much violence against children remains hidden
- Children are afraid to report violence
- Many parents remain silent
- Family honour is often placed above the safety and well-being of children
- Rape can lead to social ostracism, further violence or death.
- WHO estimates that, in 2002 worldwide, around 150 million girls and 73 million boys under 18 years experienced rape or other sexual violence
- Young children are at greatest risk of violence
Some groups of children are especially at risk – those with disabilities, ‘street children’, displaced children and those with no parents.
The following recommendations are made:
- No violence against children is justifiable
- All violence against children is preventable
- States must take the primary responsibility to uphold children’s rights to protection