儿童保护公约
Child ProteCtion information SheetS
Contents
What is Child Protection? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Child Protection, the MDGs and the Millennium Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Violence against Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Protecting Children during Armed Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Children Associated with Armed Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Children Affected by HIV/AIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Birth Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Child Labour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Child Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Children in Conflict with the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Children without Parental Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Commercial Sexual Exploitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
UnICEF uses the term ‘child protection’ to refer to preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse against children – including commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labour and harmful traditional practices, such as female geni-tal mutilation/cutting and child marriage . UnICEF’s child protection programmes also target children who are uniquely vulnerable to these abuses, such as when living without parental care, in conflict with the law and in armed conflict . Violations of the child’s right to protection take place in every country and are massive, under-recognized and under-re-ported barriers to child survival and development, in addition to being human rights violations . Children subjected to violence, exploitation, abuse and ne-
glect are at risk of death, poor physical and mental health, HIV/AIDS infection, educational problems, displacement, homelessness, vagrancy and poor parenting skills later in life .
faCtS and fiGureS
? A pproximately 126 million children aged 5–17 are believed to be engaged in hazardous work, excluding child domestic labour1 .
? M ore than 1 million children worldwide are de-tained by law enforcement officials .2
? I t is estimated that more than 130 million women and girls alive today have undergone some form of female genital mutilation/cutting .3
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Building a protective environment for children that will help prevent and respond to violence, abuse and exploitation involves eight essential compo-nents: Strengthening government commitment and capacity to fulfil children’s right to protection; promoting the establishment and enforcement of adequate legislation; addressing harmful attitudes, customs and practices; encouraging open discus-sion of child protection issues that includes media and civil society partners; developing children’s life skills, knowledge and participation; building capac-ity of families and communities; providing essential services for prevention, recovery and reintegration, including basic health, education and protection; and establishing and implementing ongoing and ef-fective monitoring, reporting and oversight . StrateGieS to StrenGthen the
ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children The work of UnICEF and its partners includes:
? I nternational advocacy, often with the use of inter-national human rights mechanisms
? n ational advocacy and initiating dialogue at all levels – from government to communities, fami-lies and children themselves – in order to promote attitudes and practices protective of children
? I nclusion of child protection issues in national development plans
? L aw-based approaches, emphasizing the impor-tance of knowing, understanding, accepting and enforcing legal standards in child protection
? C ommunity-based approaches that promote and strengthen the capacity of families and communi-ties to address child protection issues
human riGhtS
The Convention on the rights of the Child (1989)
outlines the fundamental rights of children, in-
cluding the right to be protected from economic
exploitation and harmful work, from all forms of
sexual exploitation and abuse, and from physi-
cal or mental violence, as well as ensuring that
children will not be separated from their family
against their will . T hese rights are further refined
by two optional Protocols, one on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornog-
raphy, and the other on the involvement of
children in armed conflict .
1
? P artnerships with governments, non-governmen-tal and faith-based organizations, other United nations organizations, professional associations, children and youth, and the media .
KeY reSultS exPeCted for 2006–2009
?E nsuring that government decisions are increas-ingly influenced by better knowledge and aware-ness of child protection rights and improved data and analysis on child protection issues
? S upporting effective legislative and enforcement systems – along with improved protection and response capacity – to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and vio-lence, including exploitative child labour ? I mproving mechanisms to protect children from the impact of armed conflict and natural disasters ? A ddressing national justice systems to ensure that mechanisms are in place to provide protec-tion for children and adolescents as victims, wit-nesses and offenders
? R educing the number of children separated from their families and strengthening national capaci-ties to ensure access by poor families to services and safety nets needed to protect and care for their children .
examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
? W orking closely with parliamentarians on the regional and country levels, including the launch of handbooks for parliamentarians about child protection (2004) and child trafficking (2005)
? P roviding support to legal reforms of Criminal Codes and the implementation of national plans of action for the prevention of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean
? T aking part in the development of juvenile justice systems in at least 13 of the 20 countries of the CEE/CIS region by assisting in legal reforms in line with international standards, piloting service models in the restorative justice approach, and training specialized police units, judges and law-yers to apply new principles and standards for children in conflict with the law .
notes
1I nternational Labour office, The End of Child Labour: Within reach, Global Report under the follow-up to the ILo Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, International La-bour Conference, 95th Session 2006, Report I (B), ILo, Geneva, 2006 .
2D efence for Children International, ’no Kids Behind Bars: A global campaign on justice for children in conflict with the law’,
3U nited nations Children’s Fund, Female Genital Mutilation/Cut-ting: A statistical exploration 2005, UnICEF, new Y ork, 2005, p . 1 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Child protection issues intersect with every one
of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
– from poverty reduction to getting children into
school, from eliminating gender inequality to
reducing child mortality .
Most of the MDGs simply cannot be achieved
if failures to protect children are not addressed .
Child labour squanders a nation’s human capital
and conflicts with eradicating extreme poverty
(MDG 1); armed conflict disrupts efforts to achieve
universal primary education (MDG 2); child mar-
riage leads to the removal of girls from school
and thus prevents gender equality (MDG 3);
children separated from their mothers, particu-
larly if they remain in institutional settings, are at
greater risk of early death, which hinders efforts
to reduce child mortality (MDG 4); female genital
mutilation/cutting undermines efforts to improve
maternal health (MDG 5); and sexual exploitation
and abuse hamper efforts to combat HIV infec-
tion (MDG 6) . In addition, environmental disasters
make children vulnerable to exploitation and
abuse, hence the need for environmental sustain-
ability (MDG 7) .
overall, protecting children requires close
cooperation between different partners, which
consolidates the need for a global partnership for
development (MDG 8) .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: WHAT IS CHILD PRoTECTIon? 2
World leaders made a commitment to meet chil-dren’s rights to survival, health, education, protection and participation – among others – during the Mil-lennium Summit in September 2000, from which the Millennium Declaration and, subsequently, the Mil-lennium Development Goals (MDGs) emerged . Both the declaration and the MDGs were later reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit . Based on fundamental human rights, they provide a framework for the en-tire Un system to work coherently towards a series of concrete objectives for human development . ProteCtinG Children StrenGthenS deVeloPment
The Millennium Declaration addresses child protec-tion explicitly (see box) . A close look at the MDGs shows that not a single Goal can be achieved un-less the protection of children is an integral part
of programming strategies and plans . Failing to protect children from such issues as violence in schools, child labour, harmful traditional practices, the absence of parental care or commercial sexual exploitation squanders the world’s most precious resource . Reaching the most vulnerable and isolated populations helps ensure the health and well-being of all and is indispensable to achieving the MDGs . Child ProteCtion and the mdGS
Goal 1: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Children who live in extreme poverty are often those who experience violence, exploitation, abuse and discrimination . T hey easily become marginalized and are frequently denied such essential services
as health care and education . In a self-perpetuating cycle, marginalization of children who are victims
of violence and abuse decreases their likelihood of escaping poverty in the future . Child labour – both
a cause and consequence of poverty – damages
a child’s health, threatens education and leads to further exploitation and abuse . Poverty is a root cause for trafficking . Without documents to prove birth registration, children and families often cannot access health, education and other social services, and States cannot plan poverty alleviation and social service programmes without accurate estimates of annual births . Poverty and exclusion can contribute to child abandonment and the separation of children from their families, as children are sent to work on the streets or parents are forced to migrate and leave their children behind . Children might end up in foster or institutional care arrangements which can lead to marginalization and decrease their chances of break-ing the cycle of poverty . armed conflict depletes physical, economic and human resources and leads to displacement of populations .
Goal 2: achieve universal primary education Ensuring that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling cannot be achieved without eliminating the barriers that keep children out of school . Reaching the hard-to-reach – including children affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, children with disabilities, children from minorities and of migrant families, and those who are trafficked, used in armed conflict or live in institutions – is critical to achieving education for all . T he school environment needs to be safe, protective and free of violence if children are to
millennium declaration
the millennium deClaration
Through adoption of the Millennium Declara-
tion, the world’s countries resolved to:
? S trive for the full protection and promotion of
civil, political, economic, social and cultural
rights for all .
? C ombat all forms of violence against women
and implement the Convention on the elimi-
nation of all forms of discrimination against
Women .
? E ncourage the ratification and full imple-
mentation of the Convention on the rights
of the Child and its optional Protocols on the
involvement of children in armed conflict and
on the sale of children, child prostitution and
child pornography .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET
3
be encouraged to attend and remain in school . Child marriage leads to the isolation of, particularly, the girl child and to early drop-out from school . armed conflict can displace families, separate children from their parents and disrupt their education . Child labour prevents children from going to school .
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Child marriage, sexual violence, female genital mutilation/cutting, child labour and trafficking are child rights violations that must be prevented and addressed as part of global initiatives to promote gender equality and empower women . Sexual violence and harassment of girls at school are major impediments to achieving gender equality in education . When they occur in other settings, such as the community and workplace, they undermine efforts to empower girls and women . During armed conflict situations, girls often have less access to reintegration programmes for children associated with armed groups . female genital mutilation/ cutting is an infringement on the physical and psychosexual integrity of girls and women .
Goal 4: reduce child mortality
Extreme exploitation, violence or abuse can lead
to death throughout various phases of childhood . Child marriage affects children’s health as babies who are born to very young mothers are more vulnerable to diseases during critical early years of life . armed conflict has a devastating impact on chil-dren’s survival . of the 20 countries with the highest rates of under-five mortality, 11 have experienced major armed conflict since 1990 . Children without parental care or separated from their mother at an early age, especially those who remain in institu-tional settings for an extended period of time, are
at much greater risk of early death . Inattention to disability and improper care for children with dis-abilities can increase the mortality risk .
Goal 5: improve maternal health
Abuses against adolescent girls endanger their physical and psychological health and, should they become mothers, their reproductive health as well . Protecting girls from child marriage is an important factor in improving maternal health as pregnancy at a young age jeopardizes the health of young moth-ers . female genital mutilation/cutting increases the chance of maternal mortality during delivery . armed conflict jeopardizes young mothers’ access to health-care services . Also, widespread sexual violence, including in armed conflict, has a direct impact on maternal health .
Goal 6: Combat hiV/aidS, malaria and other diseases
The fight against HIV/AIDS must include efforts
to prevent abuses that make children particularly vulnerable to the disease . For children orphaned
or otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS, protection is a priority . Many of the worst forms of child labour fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS as children are sexu-ally exploited and trafficked . At the same time, children from families and communities affected by HIV/AIDS are particularly vulnerable to these forms of exploitation and at risk of growing up without parental care . Child sexual abuse contributes to infection among young people . Reducing recourse to detention for children in conflict with the law decreases their vulnerability to infection, given the high rates of transmission in prisons .
Goal 7: ensure environmental sustainability Environmental disasters increase household vulner-ability, which can in turn increase the pressure for child labour, as well as for sexual exploitation and child marriage . overcrowding of neighbourhoods and homes can put severe strains on environmen-tal resources, which may lead to domestic stress, violence or sexual abuse in the home .
Goal 8: develop a global partnership for development
Child protection demands inter-sectoral cooperation at the national and international levels . UnICEF’s approach entails creating a protective environment for children . T his means partnering with other Un agencies, governments, civil society, the private sector and international non-governmental or-ganizations to put protective systems in place by strengthening government commitment, promoting adequate legislation, building systems and capaci-ties, providing services, addressing attitudes and customs, monitoring and reporting, developing chil-dren’s life skills, and encouraging open discussion .
InFoRMATIon SHEET: CHILD PRoTECTIon, T HE MDGS AnD T HE MILLEnnIUM DECLARATIon 4
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET Violence against children includes physical and mental abuse and injury, neglect or negligent treat-ment, exploitation and sexual abuse . Violence may take place in homes, schools, orphanages, residen-tial care facilities, on the streets, in the workplace, in prisons and in places of detention . It can affect children’s physical and mental health, impair their ability to learn and socialize, and undermine their development as functional adults and good par-ents later in life . In the most severe cases, violence against children leads to death .
faCtS and fiGureS
? R esearch suggests that 20 per cent of women and 5 per cent to 10 per cent of men suffered sexual abuse as children worldwide .1
? I n Asia, it is estimated that 60 million girls are
‘missing’ due to prenatal sex selection, infanticide or neglect .2
? I n the Caribbean, 96 per cent of interviewed child-care workers believe that corporal punishment reflects parents “caring enough to take the time to train the children properly .”3
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
To prevent violence against children, policies need to be created, laws enforced and resources pro-vided . Violence by teachers, guards or other staff in public institutions, including schools and prisons, must be prohibited . Governments should also take steps to promote positive forms of discipline and protect children against abuse and violence within their families .
legislation and enforcement
Effective national laws against violence need to
be put in place and reliably enforced . T hese might include laws prohibiting corporal punishment, strict penalties for sexual abuse, reporting and follow-
up requirements for health and social workers,
and codes of conduct for teachers, police officers, guards and others working in close proximity to children .
attitudes, customs and practices
Gender plays an important role in patterns of vio-lence and stereotypes, and traditions are often used to justify violence . Many forms of violence against children are accepted by society, including abusive power relationships, female genital mutilation/cut-ting, corporal punishment as a method of discipline, child marriage and honour killings .
open discussion
Violence against children is not a private matter and needs to be brought to public attention . T he media can be very effective in challenging attitudes that condone violence and in promoting more protec-tive behaviours and practices . T hey can also help children express themselves about violence in their lives .
human riGhtS
Article 19 of the Convention on the rights of the
Child (1989) calls for legislative, administrative,
social and educational actions to protect children
from all forms of violence and abuse . Several
other instruments, including the optional Proto-
cols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
and the International Labour organization’s (ILo)
Convention 182 concerning the Prohibition and
immediate action for the elimination of the
Worst forms of Child labour (1999), single out
particular types of violence and exploitation for
action .
As of March 2006, all but two Un member states
(USA and Somalia) have ratified the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, and 158 states have
ratified ILo Convention 182 .
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Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation Children can be helped to identify, avoid and, if necessary, deal with potentially violent situations . They need to be informed about their rights and how to bring information about abuse safely to the notice of someone who will take action .
Capacity of families and communities Teachers, health and social workers, medical personnel and others in proximity of children need to be trained in prevention and protection efforts, including early recognition of abuse and appropri-ate responses . After having experienced or wit-nessed violence, children often feel guilty or blame themselves; adequate and professional assistance is crucial to mitigate or avoid this reaction . essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
Along with education, these services can reduce exposure to violence . Schools need to be safe and child friendly . And access to specialized services and facilities, providing appropriate and confiden-tial medical care, counselling and follow-up, has to be ensured for all children, without discrimination . monitoring, reporting and oversight
Violence against children, especially sexual vio-lence, is often shrouded in secrecy . In many coun-tries data collection is weak or non-existent and follow-up mechanisms are deficient .
examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
Globally, a study on violence against children is un-der way, mandated by the United nations Secretary General . Rooted in children’s human rights to pro-tection from all forms of violence, the study aims to promote action to prevent and eliminate violence against children – including violence at home, in schools, institutions, the workplace and the com-munity . It draws together existing research and data about the forms, causes and impact of violence on children up to 18 years old, and about strategies for prevention and response . UnICEF has been fully engaged in the process, including by organizing nine regional and several national consultations as well as facilitating field visits . Further information is available at
In South asia, follow-up to the regional consulta-tion on violence against children led to the prohibi-tion of all forms of abuse and violence in schools through a directive and to the sensitization of teachers in Afghanistan, the banning of corporal punishment through a national law for the protec-tion of children in Pakistan, and an initiative on
‘Teaching and Learning with Dignity’ in nepal .
In the Caribbean, rising levels of violence perpe-trated by and against children led to the launch of ‘Xchange’, a movement for bringing about posi-tive change among young people and adults . T he initiative seeks to create a safe and protective environment for children in the home, school and community, using education – including music, art, sport, drama and other cultural expressions – to reach people with information that would lead to alternative behaviours and lifestyles and ultimately reduce violence . T o join, ‘Xchangers’ make a pledge to commit themselves to a positive lifestyle and behaviour and to becoming role models for their peers .
notes
1W orld Health organization, World Report on Violence and Health, WHo, Geneva, 2002, p 64 .
2U nited nations Population Fund, State of World Population 2005: T he promise of equality: Gender equity, reproductive health and the Millennium Development Goals, UnFPA, new York, 2005, p . 5 .
3U nited nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organiza-tion, Eliminating Corporal Punishment, T he way forward to constructive child discipline, UnESCo, Paris, 2005, p . 58 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Efforts to achieve universal primary education
and gender parity at all levels of education
(MDG 2, 3), to reduce child mortality (MDG 4)
and to combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases
(MDG 6) can be greatly assisted by protecting
children from violence in all spheres of society .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: VIoLEnCE AGAInST CHILDREn 6
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET Armed conflicts have left populations vulnerable to appalling forms of violence, including systematic rape, abduction, amputation, mutilation, forced dis-placement, sexual exploitation and genocide .
The wide availability of light, inexpensive small arms has contributed to the use of children as sol-diers, as well as to high levels of violence once con-flicts have ended . T he breakdown of social protec-tion leaves girls vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy and threatens all children with separation from their families, orphaning, increased risk of sexually trans-
mitted infections, disability and serious, long-term psychosocial consequences .
faCtS and fiGureS
? A n estimated 90 per cent of global conflict-related deaths since 1990 have been civilians, and 80 per cent of these have been women and children .1? I n the Democratic Republic of the Congo, almost 38,000 deaths occur every month above what is considered a ‘normal level’ for the country, trans-lating into 1,270 excess deaths every day . Most deaths are due to preventable causes like malnu-trition and infectious diseases . Y oung children are disproportionately affected by these illnesses .2? I n Darfur (Sudan), around 2 million people have been forced from their land and live in displace-ment camps . More than 1 million of them are chil-dren under 18, with 320,000 aged five and under .3 BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
To protect children during war, government priori-ties must include assisting the most vulnerable, recognizing that displaced children have the right to receive the same level of public services as other children, and protecting humanitarian assistance and personnel . State and non-State entities must commit themselves to ending the recruitment and use of children as soldiers or adjuncts to armed groups by signing international legislation . In addi-tion, children need to be protected from the effects of sanctions . As conflicts end, peace-building and peacekeeping efforts need to focus on child protec-tion issues . Governments, for example, can ensure that crimes against children are addressed and that child-friendly procedures are developed for children’s involvement in truth and justice-seeking processes .
legislation and enforcement
International treaties must be respected and en-forced by those in charge, including State and non-State entities, and criminal legislation should be reviewed to ensure that grave breaches of interna-tional humanitarian law are recognized as crimes . Adequate training for armed forces in the rules of international humanitarian law and human rights, especially those concerning the protection of children, is essential .
attitudes, customs and practices
Many of the discriminatory attitudes that existed prior to a conflict intensify during violent clashes . Promoting codes of conduct and child-rights train-ing for all military and civilian peacekeeping per-sonnel is essential to eliminating maltreatment and use of children in armed groups .
armed Conflict
human riGhtS
The principles and provisions to protect
children in armed conflict are laid out in the
Geneva Conventions (1949) and their additional
Protocols (1977), the Convention on the rights
of the Child (1989) and its optional Protocol on
the involvement of children in armed conflict
(2000), and the rome Statute (1998) of the
International Criminal Court .
7
open discussion
Media and civil society have tremendous potential for influencing public opinion – and promoting ac-tion – through discussion of such crucial issues as sexual violence against children and women, and reducing the availability of small arms and light weapons .
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation Children’s involvement in their own protection
is strengthened by the creation of child-friendly spaces, especially in situations of displacement, and by peer-to-peer counselling on such issues as avoiding landmines or protection from HIV . Capacity of families and communities
Bolstering the capacities of families and communi-ties creates an effective resource for a wide range of activities . With the proper training and materi-als, they can prevent the separation of children, provide psychosocial support for war-affected children, develop mechanisms to eliminate sexual abuse and exploitation, support landmine aware-ness and victim assistance, and distribute life- saving information on HIV/AIDS .
essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
These services include: disarmament, demobiliza-tion and reintegration programmes for children whether or not they have weapons in their pos-session; tracing and reintegration programmes for children who have been separated from their families; assistance to survivors of sexual vio-lence as well as children who have been disabled; education services for children; prevention of HIV infection; and care for children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS .
monitoring, reporting and oversight
Systematic and comprehensive monitoring, report-ing and oversight, as requested by the United na-tions Security Council Resolutions 1539 and 1612, should cover all violations against children affected by armed conflict and could be performed by gov-ernments or non-State parties to the conflict . examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
In the democratic republic of the Congo, as part of UnICEF’s project to assist children, women
and families affected by conflict, nearly 1 .6 mil-
lion children were protected from recruitment by armed forces and groups, at least 5,400 children associated with armed forces and groups were reintegrated into their families or communities, and 5,350 women and children survivors of sexual violence were given support and assistance .
In liberia, UnICEF is working to provide skills training courses to 5,000 demobilized children associated with armed forces . T he training pro-gramme includes options like agriculture, animal husbandry, mechanics, carpentry, cosmetology, masonry, tailoring and baking, in addition to basic literacy and numeracy, psychosocial counselling, and business development . Recently, 116 boys and girls finished the nine-month training course in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County .
notes
1 otunnu, olara A ., ‘Special Comment’ on Children and Security, Disarmament Forum, no . 3, United nations Institute for Disarmament Research, Geneva, 2002, pp . 3-4 .
2C oghlan, Benjamin et al, “Mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A nationwide survey,”The Lancet, Vol . 367, 7 January 2006, pp . 44-51 .
3U nited nations Children’s Fund, Darfur Child Alert, UnICEF, December 2005, p . 7 . Available in PDF only at
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Armed conflict depletes physical, economic and
human resources and leads to displacement of
populations . It can disrupt children’s education,
lead to their death, and expose them to HIV
infection when rape is used as a weapon of war .
In the scope and severity of its effects, armed
conflict not only devastates child protection, it
is a threat to achieving any of the Millennium
Development Goals, from eradicating extreme
poverty and hunger (MDG 1) to ensuring envi-
ronmental sustainability (MDG 7) .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: PRoTECTInG CHILDREn DURInG ARMED ConFLICT 8
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET
A ‘child soldier’ is any person under 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity – including, but not limited to, combatants, cooks, porters, mes-sengers and anyone accompanying such groups, other than family members . T he definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage . It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms . Some boys and girls might have been abducted or forcibly re-cruited; others have been driven to join by poverty, abuse and discrimination, societal or peer pressure, or to seek revenge for violence against them or their families .
faCtS and fiGureS
? L atest estimates suggest that more than 250,000 children are currently serving as child soldiers .1
? I n Colombia, an estimated 14,000 girls and boys were used as child soldiers2 by illegal armed groups .
? I n Somalia, an estimated 200,000 children have carried a gun or been involved with a militia since the 1991 collapse of central government .
? I n Sudan, in March 2004, an estimated 17,000 children were associated with armed forces and groups .
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
Advocacy is required on all levels, including promo-tion of ratification of the optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, reform
of national laws and awareness-raising campaigns . In times of armed conflict, effective control often lies with non-State entities or armed groups, and it is essential that they respect standards of interna-tional law in the same way as governmental actors, including the ban of recruitment and use of children in hostilities . Several provisions of international law address non-State entities, including the optional Protocol, which holds them to higher standards than governments .
legislation and enforcement
International treaties must be respected, imple-mented and enforced by governmental and non-governmental actors involved in armed conflict . attitudes, customs and practices
When these encourage or tolerate the involvement of children in conflict, changes are needed to pre-vent recruitment and re-recruitment of children, and to support their return to their families and communities .
open discussion
Dialogue about the stigmatization of former child soldiers is often the preliminary step towards fam-ily reunification and community reintegration . T he media can increase awareness but should be careful not to hamper the chances of former child soldiers for successful reintegration (for example, when reporting on prevalence rates of HIV, real or pre-sumed, among demobilized children) . Community
armed Groups
human riGhtS
The optional Protocol to the Convention on
the rights of the Child on the involvement
of children in armed conflict (2000) raises the
minimum age for direct participation in hos-
tilities from 15 to 18 (Article 1) and prohibits
conscription or forced recruitment below the age
of 18 (Article 2) . T he Statute of the international
Criminal Court (1998) makes it a war crime to
conscript or enlist children under 15 into na-
tional armed forces or to use them to participate
actively in hostilities in international and internal
armed conflicts .
The international labour organization’s Con-
vention no. 182 (1999) defines the forced and
compulsory recruitment of children as a worst
form of child labour, which it prohibits .
9
mediation can be essential for family reunification and the reintegration process .
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation once children are recruited into conflict there is little they can do to protect themselves . Y oung people’s discussion groups can make them more aware of their rights, and former ‘child soldiers’ can share their experiences to sensitize their peers . T his helps strengthen children’s voices so their opinions are considered in efforts to prevent their recruit-ment and ensure their demobilization and reinte-gration . Children and women should be involved in the planning and implementation of demobilization and reintegration processes to avoid a bias against children in general and young women in particular, who may not be considered real soldiers . Capacity of families and communities
Capacities must be built to help families and com-munities ensure that their children do not become involved with armed forces during conflict . Family reunification at the earliest opportunity is a key factor for social reintegration . Follow-up care for demobilized children, focusing on long-term social reintegration for all war-affected children in a com-munity and embracing the community rather than the child in isolation, is essential .
essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
Former child soldiers should be protected during demobilization and social reintegration programmes – including family tracing, HIV/AIDS education, counselling, education and vocational training . Psychosocial support, such as counsel-ling, peer-to peer support or community-based support, is important . Reintegration programmes need to build on existing resources, supporting lo-cal schools, vocational training facilities and health care systems .
monitoring, reporting and oversight
Violations of the laws of war need to be reported, so that perpetrators can be held accountable before tribunals or through other truth and recon-ciliation mechanisms . Adequate monitoring will provide better data on the numbers of child sol-diers and the conditions they are living in . T he im-plementation of Un Security Council Resolutions 1539 (2004) and 1612 (2005), calling for monitoring and reporting of egregious child rights abuses in conflict areas, is crucial .
examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
In Colombia, UnICEF works with the Colombian In-stitute for Family Welfare to assist demobilized chil-dren and adolescents, providing them with health and psychosocial care, education for life and work, and legal support, and preparing them for reintegra-tion into their families and communities . Between november 1999 and october 2005, more than 2,500 children benefited from this programme .
In Sri lanka, UnICEF has established a monitoring and reporting system for child recruitment into the armed forces and uses the database to help target advocacy to seek their release . In addition, released child soldiers were provided with catch-up educa-tion or vocational training, and families were given micro-credit loans .
notes
1o tunnu, olara A ., ‘Era of Application: Instituting a compliance and enforcement regime for CAAC’, Statement before the Security Council, new Y ork, 23 February 2005, p . 3 .
2C ountry figures are taken from Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Child Soldier Global Report 2004, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, London, 2004 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Failing to protect children from use by armed
groups will impede the achievement of at least
three of the Millennium Development Goals: uni-
versal primary education (MDG 2) as child sol-
diers often miss out on schooling, reducing child
mortality (MDG 4) as children involved in armed
conflict often have no access to health care and
are exposed to life-threatening situations, and
combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
(MDG 6) as children in armed groups are subject
to sexual abuse and exploitation .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: CHILDREn ASSoCIATED WITH ARMED GRoUPS 10
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET The HIV/AIDS pandemic is not only threatening the physical health and survival of millions of children around the world, it is destroying their families and depriving them of parental love, care and protection . Stigma and discrimination, often associated with HIV infection, can lead to exclusion and isolation and ruin a child’s chances to receive an education . Children whose families are affected by HIV/AIDS experience severe emotional and psychological distress . Economic hardship resulting from their parents’ inability to work may cause children to drop out of school or become child labourers . T hey
are often forced to assume the burden of caring for sick parents or for their younger siblings . Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS are more exposed to exploi-tation, abuse and violence . Conversely, many situa-tions in which children have inadequate protection – including sexual exploitation, trafficking, violence, armed conflict, recruitment in armed forces or groups, displacement, detention and imprisonment, child marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting – also make them more vulnerable to HIV infection . faCtS and fiGureS
? I n 2005, the number of children less than 15 years old living with HIV was estimated at 2 .3 million . of these, 700,000 were newly infected . More than half a million children (570,000) died of AIDS dur-ing the same period .1
? S ome 62 per cent of the world’s young people infected with HIV and about 80 per cent of the chil-dren orphaned by AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa .2? S ince the outset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the early 1980s, the proportion of women with HIV has risen steadily . T oday, nearly half of those who are HIV positive are women or girls .3
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
To dispel stigma and confusion, governments need to acknowledge HIV/AIDS and its impact and ad-dress it at the highest levels, including national poverty-reduction strategies . Government policies and resource allocations for expanded social welfare and services are essential to increasing the capacity of families and communities to care for orphans and infected and vulnerable children .
legislation and enforcement
The inheritance rights of women and children who have lost providers and caregivers to AIDS should be addressed . T he rights of young people living with HIV/AIDS need to be protected, and anti-discrimi-nation laws must be put in place to ensure equal access to such essential services as health care and education .
attitudes, customs and practices
It is important to oppose the prejudice, shaming and stigma often experienced by children infected, orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS . Violence (including armed conflict), sexual discrimination, sexual abuse and unequal power relations (e .g ., marriages of young girls to much older husbands) all increase children’s vulnerability to HIV infection . open discussion
The media can help raise awareness, counter myths and remove taboos about HIV/AIDS by making it an acceptable topic of discussion and providing accu-rate information about the disease and its preven-tion . Voices and participation of children can help break the silence and stop stigmatization .
human riGhtS
In the Convention on the rights of the Child
(1989), States Parties recognize the right of the
child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of health (Article 24) . States Parties
shall also respect and ensure the rights set forth
in the Convention to each child within their
jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind
(Article 2) .
11
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation These are particularly important when dealing with the threat and impact of HIV/AIDS . T o avoid the risk of infection, all children need to be taught about sexual health and be empowered to refuse unsafe or unwanted sex and to negotiate safer options . Children already affected or infected by HIV/AIDS need support so they can develop skills that will help them cope, make informed decisions and pro-tect themselves from exploitation and abuse . Capacity of families and communities
Resources and skills must be invested to monitor vulnerable households, support families willing to foster or adopt orphaned children, and strengthen community-level services . T o help protect children in armed conflict or humanitarian crises, international peacekeeping and humanitarian personnel should be trained in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention . essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
Access to education – a fundamental human right – must be guaranteed to children who have been infected or affected by HIV/AIDS . Education also reduces their vulnerability to exploitation . Com-munity-based childcare and psychosocial support are necessary to help families and communities cope . In conflicts and emergencies that put children at particularly high risk of HIV infection, protection initiatives, demobilization, disarmament and reintegration services for children used by armed forces and groups, as well as prevention and re-sponse to sexual violence (provision of post-rape care and post-exposure prophylaxis), can mitigate the disastrous consequences for children . monitoring, reporting and oversight
Using internationally agreed indicators on the well-being of children affected by HIV/AIDS is crucial for validating interventions by governments and com-munities to reduce the impact of the disease . examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
At the global level, in 2005, UnICEF launched UnITE FoR CHILDREn . UnITE AGAInST AIDS, a global campaign bringing together UnICEF, UnAIDS co-sponsors, bilateral donors, non-governmental and faith-based organizations and civil society mem-bers . T he focus is on ensuring that children have
a central place on the global HIV/AIDS agenda, on scaling up interventions to prevent new infections and on helping children already affected by HIV/ AIDS . Four key result areas, known as ‘The Four Ps’, have been established for the campaign: primary prevention; prevention of mother-to-child transmis-sion; paediatric treatment; and protection, care and support .
In Burundi, the democratic republic of the Congo and haiti, UnICEF supports initiatives for the prevention of and response to sexual violence, including by providing post-rape care services and psychosocial support . In Haiti, for example, 1,900 children affected by HIV/AIDS received direct medi-cal and psychosocial care as well as educational and financial support in 2005 .
notes
1J oint United nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, World Health organization, AIDS Epidemic Update December 2005, UnAIDS and WHo, Geneva, December 2005, p . 1 .
2J oint United nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, 2004 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, UnAIDS, Geneva, June 2004 .
3U nited nations Children’s Fund, The State of the World’s Children 2005, UnICEF, new Y ork, p . 70 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS is
a primary target of MDG 6, and there are several
ways that failing to protect children intersects
with this goal . Many of the worst forms of child
labour, including sexual exploitation, expose
children to HIV infection, which can also result
from abuse and violence . Child labour may be a
consequence of the AIDS pandemic, when pri-
mary income providers are lost or incapacitated .
In fact, children in affected families are particu-
larly vulnerable to losing all forms of care and
protection – from the death of a parent to being
denied an inheritance .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: PRoTECTInG CHILDREn AFFECTED BY HIV/AIDS 12
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET Birth registration is the official recording of the birth of a child by a state administrative process . It is the permanent and official record of a child’s existence and is fundamental to the realization of children’s rights and practical needs .
Securing children’s right to a nationality will allow them to get a passport, open a bank account, obtain credit, vote and find employment . It helps ensure
access to basic services, including immunization, health care and school enrolment at the right age . Birth registration is also essential in protection efforts, including: preventing child labour by enforcing minimum-employment-age laws; ensuring that children in conflict with the law
are not treated (legally and practically) as adults; shielding them from underage military service
or conscription; countering child marriage; and reducing trafficking, as well as assisting children who are repatriated and reunited with family members .
faCtS and fiGureS
? I n 2003, some 48 million births went unregistered – 36 per cent of all estimated births worldwide that year .
? S outh Asia had the largest number of unregistered children at more than 23 million, which is 63 per cent of all births in the region and accounts for 47 per cent of all unregistered births worldwide .
? I n sub-Saharan Africa, 55 per cent of children under five have not been registered .
? I n the Middle East and north Africa, 16 per cent of the children were not registered at birth, while in East Asia and the Pacific, 19 per cent of births were unregistered .1BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
This is needed to ensure free and compulsory birth registration and a free birth certificate for every child without discrimination .
legislation and enforcement
Most countries make legal provision for registering births within a prescribed period . T hese laws, however, are often not comprehensive or are poorly enforced . Ineffective bureaucracies can make implementation complicated and costly . Governments should be encouraged to devote
the necessary attention and resources to birth registration .
attitudes, customs and practices
Particularly in remote areas, parents often do not see the benefits of their own citizenship, let alone the benefits that birth registration would confer on their children . Awareness-raising campaigns can help encourage parents to register their children .
open discussion
Media and civil society can play an important
role in making families and communities aware
of the importance of birth registration and the steps involved in the process . non-governmental organizations and grass-roots organizations can
be particularly effective in the promotion of birth registration .
human riGhtS
The Convention on the rights of the Child (1989)
calls for the registration of a child immediately
after birth (Article 7) .
13
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation Explaining the value of birth registration to older unregistered children can help them encourage their parents to secure their late registration and also the registration of their younger siblings . It can also motivate these children to register their own future children .
Capacity of families and communities
Local registration facilities should be decentralized, accessible and have adequate capacity to meet the needs of families and communities . Support for systems for birth registration ranges from the training of service providers at the community level to the provision of essential supplies for registration, such as birth registration forms . monitoring, reporting and oversight
Local birth registration services need to be integrated with a central database to ensure adequate recording, transmission, backup and safe keeping of data, as well as to protect the privacy of this information . examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
In afghanistan, in 2003, UnICEF worked with the government to launch a nationwide campaign to register all children under one year of age . T he campaign used the services of polio vaccinators, combining the birth registration effort with Afghanistan’s national Polio Immunization Days . In 2004, the campaign expanded to reach 1 .7 million children under five .
In angola, in 2001, UnICEF’s Executive Director officially launched a nationwide two-year birth registration campaign which aimed to register
3 million children by 2002 . In 2005, intensive advocacy on UnICEF’s part resulted in an international conference on birth registration
and the Government’s adoption of a free birth registration policy for all newborns and children below 5 years old, including registration at hospitals .
In Papua new Guinea, the number of children whose birth has been registered in the national capital increased from 3 per cent in 2002 to 56
per cent in 2005 . T he birth registration system
was decentralized in 50 per cent of provinces .
All schools and health facilities were declared compulsory birth registration points .
notes
1 F igures from United nations Children’s Fund, The ‘Rights’ Start to Life: A statistical analysis of birth registration, UnICEF, new Y ork, 2005, p . 3 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Effective planning is virtually impossible without
accurate and comprehensive data, and birth
registration provides the foundation – basic
information that is vital to local communities,
nationwide strategies and, ultimately, global
cooperation . Universal birth registration is
not only the bedrock of child protection, it will
facilitate achieving such Goals as eradicating
poverty and hunger (MDG 1), universal primary
education (2), reducing child mortality (4) and
combating HIV/AIDS (6) .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: BIRTH REGISTRATIon 14
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET Child labour and the worst forms of child labour, as defined by International Labour organization (ILo) Conventions, damage children’s health, threaten their education and lead to further exploitation and abuse . UnICEF does not oppose work that children may perform at home, on the family farm or for a family business – as long as that work is not a danger to their health and well-being, and if it doesn’t prevent them from going to school and enjoying childhood activities .
faCtS and fiGureS
? I n 2004, there were 218 million children engaged in child labour, excluding child domestic labour .1? S ome 126 million children aged 5–17 are believed to be engaged in hazardous work .
? I t is estimated that children represent 40–50 per cent of all victims of forced labour, or 5 .7 million children are trapped in forced and bonded labour .? C hildren working in the home of a third party or ‘employer’ are extremely vulnerable to exploita-tion and abuse . ILo estimates that more girls under age 16 are in domestic service than in any other category of work or child labour .2
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
Providing all children with access to education is every government’s responsibility, as well as a practical response to preventing child labour . Free, compulsory, relevant and good-quality education services are essential .
legislation and enforcement
Laws and regulations against child labour must be in place and rigorously enforced by governments . Time-bound national plans of action, as required by ILo Convention no . 182 on the worst forms of child labour, are crucial . attitudes, customs and practices
Girls are particularly at risk of being sent to work instead of going to school . Parental and community understanding of the benefits of education, along with strong social disapproval of exploitative em-ployers, will help diminish this hazard .
open discussion
Civil society and media engagement can change attitudes that condone child labour . Raising aware-ness of its harmful effects on health and develop-ment will help alleviate children’s vulnerability to abuse .
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation Through active participation and communication with their parents, employers and other adults, human riGhtS
international labour organization (ilo) Con-
ventions 138 (1973) and 182 (1999) define child
labourers as all children younger than 12 work-
ing in any economic activities, children 12–14
years old engaged in more than light work, and
all children engaged in the worst forms of child
labour – in which they are enslaved, forcibly re-
cruited, prostituted, trafficked, forced into illegal
activities or exposed to hazards .
Article 32(1) of the Convention on the rights of
the Child (1989) calls for the recognition of the
right of children to be protected from economic
exploitation and from performing any work that
is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with
their education, or to be harmful to their health
or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social
development .
By March 2006, 143 countries had ratified Con-
vention no . 138, setting minimum ages for gen-
eral, light or hazardous work and 158 countries
had ratified ILo Convention no . 182 on the worst
forms of child labour .
15
children can be agents of change . Relevant school curricula and vocational training programmes can be adapted to students’ circumstances – and will increase their school attendance .
Capacity of families and communities
Social programmes to support families in need and help them find alternative income to replace their child’s employment will help prevent child la-bour . Such support is also needed for child-headed households, orphans and children made vulner-able by HIV/AIDS . Representatives from schools, churches, labour unions and non-governmental organizations can be trained to assess the reasons why children work and to devise ways of making sure they get into school .
essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
Flexible school hours can accommodate the needs of working children . non-formal education pro-grammes can prepare former child labourers for return to full-time education, and vocational train-ing provides skills for a productive adulthood . monitoring, reporting and oversight
How many children are engaged in labour? What type of work do they perform? T o monitor protective measures, ensure employer compliance with rel-evant laws and administer legal action if necessary, governments, social services and all agencies that work with children need to have this information . examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
In india, UnICEF and its partners worked to reduce child labour rates by reducing the debt burden among families through the formation of self help groups and increasing school enrolment . Life-skills education was provided to adolescent girls and child labourers in Andhra Pradesh and Maharash-tra . T he documentation of these and other positive experiences led to more effective advocacy with State partners and non-governmental organiza-tions and to increased government budget alloca-tions and donor support .
In morocco, UnICEF and its partners are working to reduce the number of children working in the handicrafts sector in Fez . At the beginning of the 2005 school year, the number of children under 12 who were withdrawn from work exceeded 600; of these 80 per cent were girls working in the carpet-weaving industry .
In Senegal, a debt-cancellation agreement between the Italian and Senegalese governments signed
in 2005 will provide funding for poverty reduction strategies, in particular towards the elimination of child labour . Part of the funds available will allow the Senegalese Government to contribute to a UnICEF-supported project for the elimination of child labour . The agreement is partly the result of UnICEF’s advocacy efforts to mainstream child protection into national poverty reduction strategy papers .
notes
1U nless otherwise indicated, International Labour office, T he End of Child Labour: Within reach, Global Report under the follow-up to the ILo Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, International Labour Conference, 95th Session 2006, Report I (B), ILo, Geneva, 2006 .
2I nternational Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, Helping Hands or Shackled Lives? Understanding child domestic labour and responses to it, ILo, Geneva, 2004, p . III .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Child labour is both a cause and consequence of
poverty and squanders a nation’s human capital .
It can impede the education of children, particu-
larly girls . Any of the worst forms of child labour
– including prostitution and trafficking – are a
cause and consequence of the HIV/AIDS pan-
demic . T herefore, eliminating child labour is par-
ticularly relevant to achieving MDG 1 (eradicate
extreme poverty and hunger), MDG 2 (ensuring
that all boys and girls complete primary school-
ing) and MDG 6 (combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and
other diseases) . Achieving MDG 7, which seeks
to reverse the loss of environmental resources,
would help reduce environmental disasters
– which devastate households and significantly
increase conditions that foster child labour .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: CHILD LABoUR 16
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET Child marriage is a violation of human rights wheth-er it happens to a girl or a boy, but it represents perhaps the most prevalent form of sexual abuse and exploitation of girls . T he harmful consequences include separation from family and friends, lack of freedom to interact with peers and participate in community activities, and decreased opportuni-
ties for education . Child marriage can also result
in bonded labour or enslavement, commercial sexual exploitation and violence against the victims . Because they cannot abstain from sex or insist on condom use, child brides are often exposed to such serious health risks as premature pregnancy, sexual-ly transmitted infections and, increasingly, HIV/AIDS . Parents may consent to child marriages out of economic necessity . Marriage may be seen as a way to provide male guardianship for their daughters,
protect them from sexual assault, avoid pregnancy outside marriage, extend their childbearing years or ensure obedience to the husband’s household . faCtS and fiGureS
? G lobally, 36 per cent of women aged 20–24 were married or in union before they reached 18 years of age .1
? A n estimated 14 million adolescents between 15 and 19 give birth each year . Girls in this age group are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their twenties .2
? M arriage of young girls is most common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia . In niger, 77 per cent of 20- to 24-year-old women were married before the age of 18 . In Bangladesh, this rate was 65 per cent .
BuildinG a ProteCtiVe enVironment for Children
Government commitment and capacity
The role of government and civil-society institutions is to develop and implement systems to prevent or discourage this practice . Government action is required to review customary and civil law . Because child marriage is closely associated with poverty, government commitment to poverty reduction is likely to lead to a decrease in child marriages . legislation and enforcement
Governments need to establish 18 as the legal age of marriage for girls, as well as boys, and ensure
its implementation . Promoting birth and marriage registration will help enforce these laws . attitudes, customs and practices
Ending child marriage is challenging because even parents who understand its negative impact may find it hard to resist economic and societal pres-sures and traditions . Addressing attitudes and cus-toms that promote or condone the practice is vital to changing the acceptable age for marriage .
open discussion
Marriage is regarded as a private subject in many cultures . Communication campaigns can help create circumstances in which it can be discussed and traditional beliefs about marriage can be ex-amined . T o foster behavioural change from within communities, human rights should be emphasized, human riGhtS
The right to free and full consent to a marriage
is recognized in the universal declaration of
human rights (1948) with the recognition that
consent cannot be ‘free and full’ when one of
the parties involved is not sufficiently mature to
make an informed decision about a life partner .
The Convention on the elimination of all forms
of discrimination against Women (1979) states
that the betrothal and marriage of a child shall
have no legal effect and all necessary action,
including legislation, shall be taken to specify a
minimum age of marriage . T he Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
recommends this age to be 18 .
17
particularly those of women – including equality, access to education and freedom from exploitation and discrimination .
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation Expanding children’s knowledge and empower-ment is crucial, particularly for girls . Educated girls are less likely to agree to marry at a young age . Attempts to close gender gaps in education can include the establishment of child-friendly schools, cash incentives for parents and the expansion of non-formal education .
Capacity of families and communities Community-level women’s organizations need support to act as effective advocates and educa-tors . Human rights-based development and educa-tion programmes can create dynamics leading to a change in customs, hierarchies and prejudices linked to the tradition of child marriage .
essential services, including prevention, recovery and reintegration
Counselling services on abuse, reproductive health and protection from HIV infection are imperative for young girls . Girls who run away from marria-ges need emergency support, as do those running away from parents forcing them into an unwanted marriage .
monitoring, reporting and oversight Demographic Health Surveys and Multiple Indica-tor Cluster Surveys collect valuable data on preva-lence and reasons for child marriage . Community-level monitoring systems can also help record frequency of child marriage . Marriage registration should be promoted .
examPleS of uniCef in aCtion
Globally, one way UnICEF is addressing the issue of child marriage is through the promotion of girls’ education . Research has shown that higher levels of education for girls prevent child marriage3 . UnICEF is the lead agency for the United nations Girls’ Education Initiative, which works to ensure that by 2015, all children everywhere will be able to complete primary schooling .
In Bangladesh, UnICEF has been supporting Kishori Abhijan, a project promoting the rights of adolescent girls and combating rights violations such as child marriage and dowry . T he project provides education, training and links to economic activities for networks of adolescent girls to help them gain livelihood skills .
notes
1 T his figure does not include China . Unless otherwise indicated, figures are from United nations Children’s Fund, The State of the World’s Children 2006, UnICEF, new Y ork, 2005, p . 131 .
2U nited nations Population Fund, State of World Population 2005: T he promise of equality: Gender equity, reproductive health and the Millennium Development Goals, UnFPA, new York, 2005, p . 50 .
3 United nations Children’s Fund, Early Marriage: A harmful traditional practice: A statistical exploration, UnICEF, new Y ork, 2005, pp . 12-13 .
millennium deVeloPment GoalS
Child marriage is both a response to deprivation
and a harmful practice that keeps families en-
snared in poverty . Married children are generally
isolated – removed from their immediate fami-
lies, taken out of school and denied interaction
with their peers and communities . For girls, early
pregnancy leads to higher risks, including death
during delivery, jeopardizing the health of these
young mothers and their babies . T eenage girls
are more susceptible than mature women to
sexually transmitted diseases . Because marriage
before age 18 is so prevalent in many struggling
countries, the practice becomes an obstacle to
nearly every development goal – eradicating
poverty and hunger (MDG 1); achieving universal
primary education (MDG 2); promoting gender
equality (MDG 3); protecting children’s lives (4);
and improving health (5, 6) .
CHILD PRoTECTIon InFoRMATIon SHEET: CHILD MARRIAGE 18