Children

“The greatest Glory of a free-born People, Is to transmit that Freedom to their Children.” -William Harvard, author

Today we Americans gather and celebrate as a nation, our independence our freedom, taking pride in our country and our history. We honor those who have fought and died to give us the ability to walk this land without fear of persecution. A nation built on the back of injustice we stand for justice, the right to free speech, the right of religious choice, the right to live our lives how we choose to live. We may not always agree with each other, and we know that in no way is our country perfect, but we know that our children and their children live in a country where their opportunities are endless.

Thus while we sit here today with our friends and family celebrating our independence, let us remember the countless millions of children who are not so privileged. Those children around the world who are not free from the daily ravages of war and conflict, those who face gender inequality, children denied an education, children sold into slavery, those who suffer needlessly from preventable diseases and poverty. Forget not that these children are not always in some land far away, but here in our own back yard…here in the land of freedom.

Use your freedom and your voice to help those who cannot celebrate today among the summer fun of BBQ’s and sit under the night sky ablaze with fireworks. Remember that freedom is not free, and it is the right of every man, woman and child.

Congo warlord accused of recruiting child soldiers set free
Judges at the Hague released a Congolese warlord, held on charges of coercing thousands of children into military service, after prosecutors withheld evidence supplied by the UN that would seem to exonerate him on certain of the charges.

Egypt launches campaign to slow population growth
A new campaign in Egypt attempts to dissuade citizens from having large families as the country struggles with population growth. Birth control is legal but frowned upon by some Egyptians, while abortion remains outlawed and vasectomies are not commonly performed. Egypt’s population has nearly doubled since Hosni Mubarak assumed the presidency in 1981.

Fistula crisis in Uganda
Experts say that, though many women in the Teso subregion of Uganda suffer from fistula, many cases are neither known, reported, nor treated, due to ignorance, limited materials, and limited personnel. It is estimated that nearly 3% of Ugandan women suffer from fistula.

Low-tech filters give Sri Lanka safer water
The introduction of clay pots fortified with low-tech filters by the American Red Cross has provided thousands of Sri Lankan families with access to safe drinking water and is helping to prevent the spread of disease. Water-borne diseases are the country’s number one cause of malnutrition.

Abortion rate on the rise in Middle East
Despite legal and religious restrictions against abortion in much of the Arab world, changing social values and economic realities as well as demographic shifts have contributed to an apparent increase in the number of the procedures in the Middle East.

Chinese protest corruption in case of girl’s death
Images of riots in China’s southwestern Guizhou province showed cars burning and cell-phone cameras snapping, as protesters responded with violence to evidence of police corruption. Following the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl by an individual with government connections, police called the death a suicide and brutally killed the girl’s uncle, who pressed for justice. Chinese government officials deployed paramilitary soldiers and riot police after 10,000 individuals took to the streets.

Leaders call for funds for women at Glasgow summit
Some participants at the 8th Civicus World Assembly in Scotland say not enough money is going to aid women in the developing world as outlined under the United Nation’s eight Millennium Development Goals. Activists stress that worldwide gender equality is an integral part of the program’s success.

ZIMBABWE: AIDS organisations still grounded
As Zimbabwe’s political crisis deepens ahead of the presidential run-off election on Friday 27 June, and the status of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) remains uncertain, the situation for HIV-positive Zimbabweans is more precarious than ever.

Today marks the start to the Junior 8 Summit, which will be held in Chitose City, Hokkaido, Japan, from 2-9 July. The J8 is a youth event run parallel to the annual Group of 8 Summit of world leaders. The J8 takes place every year and allows young people from around the world the opportunity to meet share their ideas, concerns and recommendations on how we can work to solve pressing global issues which are set before the G8.

At the J8 Summit, a team of young people represents each of the G8 countries, which include; Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition another delegation of young people will represent the non-G8 countries, by providing one participant from each region of the world.

The J8 is an amazing opportunity for young people around the world to get involved in the decisions of our global world for which they will soon inherent responsibility for. The summit is also an opportunity for world leaders to hear the voices of youth, and see the power for which young people have for change. The participants in the J8 are to serve as representative of youth around the world, but are also able to share their own ideas.

The G8 leaders will gather in Japan next week, as the Group of Eight summit takes place on July 7-9 in the Japanese town of Toyako. On this years G8 agenda climate change tops the list as a UN-backed deadline approaches for a new global treaty. Also priorities on the G8 agenda are poverty and HIV/AIDS, as while the progress has been seen in some areas in recent years, such as providing life saving medications and increasing children’s access to schools, the increasing of promised funds to fight extreme poverty have been missed. Therefore as the world looks at the current food prices and shortages, the need for action has become even more pressing.

Kids to learn more about the J 8 Summit and how you can send a message to world leaders click here, and find your countries J8 page. Have your say and see what others are saying by going to UNICEF’s Voices of Youth forum, young people just like this:

“My country comprises of intelligent youths who when given the right environment and state of mind, the sky is just the beginning, so to improve my country, i would invest in education, improving the state of mind of the average Nigerian child and positioning him to influence the world.”

More on the issues at this years G8 Summit:

Confronting Climate Change: A Strategy for U.S. Foreign Policy
A new Independent Task Force report says U.S. climate policy must focus on the largest economies and emitters.

News Release: U.S. must overhaul climate change strategy, says CFR Task Force report.

Backgrounder: Economic Challenges for Climate Change Policy

Ban urges G8 to move forward with Africa aid promises
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the G8 countries Monday to follow through with pledges to increase aid to Africa $25 billion. Reports surfaced that some countries might backtrack on the promises. “When it comes to climate change…and the global food crisis, these campaigns should be led by the industrialized countries — they have the capacity, they have the resources, and I hope the leadership demonstrates their political will,” Ban said ahead of a G8 summit next week.

On July 6 at 8 and 11 PM ET on CNN, the US Fund for UNICEF will air, “The Survival Project: One Child at a Time”. UNICEF is encouraging supporters to not only to watch the broadcast, but to host a viewing party to discuss these important issues of child survival. UNICEF has developed a viewing party guide to help you to easily host a party. The first 100 parties registered will receive a packet of materials including UNICEF signs and buttons. Register your party today!

The broadcast will be hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, who will highlighting progress and challenges in child survival. In the broadcast CNN will explore why 26,000 children die every day from preventable causes, and what UNICEF doing to save young lives. The show will look at four areas where UNICEF works on-the-ground to save children’s lives:

• Child protection in Iraq
• Water and sanitation in Laos
• HIV/AIDS in Peru
• Child survival interventions in Ethiopia

In London, on June 17th, thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square, including schoolchildren, to taste what life in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region was like. The event followed UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres early kick off to World Refugee Day celebrations. Following a tour of the mock refugee camp, Guterres announced the results of the annual Global Trends report, which showed that the number of refugees under UNHCR’s responsibility had risen in 2007 for the second year in a row to 11.4 million, while the overall number of people of concern to the agency stood at 31.7 million. He said the rise in refugee numbers was of great concern (UNHCR).

World Refugee Day was officially held worldwide today, June 2oth, this years theme is Protection. Millions of refugees around the world live with out the fundamental right to the protection from violence and persecution. World Refugee Day looks to bring attention to those who have been forced from their homes to seek protection, and bring attention to their plight to receive even the most basic necessities such as; shelter, water, food and basic healthcare.

Most refugees are women, children and elderly, and over half of all refugees are children. The millions of child refugees, face the daily turmoils so few of us can imagine, as the violence and struggles that led children into a life as a refugee are only the beginning of their hardship. The rights and special protection needs of refugee children are frequently neglected, and children often face additional abuses in the camps. Life of a refugee is never easy, but it is woman and children who suffer the disparaging effects of displacement around the world. A window into this world can be see in Oxfam’s Alun McDonald’s interview; A day in the life of a 12-year-old in a Darfur camp.

How can you help? Join the efforts to help refugee children by supporting NineMillion, a campaign created in 2006 by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in partnership with Nike and Microsoft. The goal of the campaign is to give more than nine million children better access to education, sport and technology by 2010.

For more information on Refugee situations see the following links and current news articles:

Since 1991, every June 16th mark the day of the African Child, and is honored world wide. This year the Day is dedicated to the right of the African child to participate, particularly to be seen and heard. Today marks “The day of the African Child,” which this year is dedicated to the Right to Participate: Let Children be Seen and Heard. The visibility of children is often taken for granted in even the most democratic state, however in many nations of Africa children have become largely invisible in all aspects, despite the high instances of abuse, violence, poverty, gender inequality and low literacy rates.
UNICEF is working to highlight the importance of child participation participation in schools, community action, media, and governance, highlighting in particular the importance of the 4th Junior 8 Summit. The Junior 8 Summit which will occur next month in Japan, gives youth from around the world an opportunity to share their views directly with world leaders gathered for the G8.

Young people’s voices must be heard, UN officials stress on Day of African Child, especially in Sudan;

“Every year, the Day of the African Child reminds adults of the importance to include children in the planning and decision making processes in Sudan,” UNICEF Country Representative Ted Chaiban said, calling for greater efforts to listen to the voices of children and to protect them from harm. “With an estimated 20 million Sudanese under the age of 18 – half of the population – it is vital that the views and aspirations of this generation form a central pillar in the recovery and development of Sudan, and that these children can live in an environment free of fear,” he added.

Children across the continent of Africa remain silenced by their denial to participate in the building and reconstruction of their countries and have an active role in democratic participation. Those children who face violence in the many conflict ridden states, are most often denied, or have limited access to legal support, as well as medical, physiological care, and education. Thus while children remain the highest population of those effected and victimized by conflict they have the smallest voice, which not only impedes their own recovery, but the adequate and sustainable building of the community and country on the whole.

Children who are accused of violating criminal codes and laws are often not given a fair trail, but dealt with informally by the local police. This denies a child access to a fair trial and thus often leads to inappropriate action and often abuse. Often a child’s access to fair trial or other various forms of participation are denied simply due to a lack of resources and knowledge, which therefore must be addressed by both the state and the international community to see that children are not marginalized. This is especially crucial for those who are victims of gender based violence, including rape as a weapon of war; as well as for those children who are being reintegrated following conflict, such as child soldiers.

UNICEF and other NGO’s working towards participation have a lot of work on their hands, however they are off to a good start. What one needs to see done to ensure that children across Africa are both seen and heard is to: increase resources and programs to all organizations working with children; work to end corruption and impunity of such violent crimes committed against children; establish child specific training programs for all personnel working with children; establish judicial systems designed to protect the violation against children’s fundamental rights.

For more information on the legal framework regarding child participation see Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which includes the right of the child to be heard and have his or her view given consideration in all judicial and administrative proceeding affecting him or her. For further information please see the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child, for which article 4 states, how is in the best interest of the child and thus provides for the right of the African child to have his or her view considered in all proceedings affecting him or her.



For more information and news please see:

On the day of the African Child, UNICEF in Sudan calls for children to be heard and better protected

Rwanda leading Africa in Promoting Children’s Participation

Malawi’s Youth Parliament convenes in run-up to Day of the African Child

The Top 100 Civil Liberties Advocacy Blogs was just released, and it is with great pleasure that I inform you that the Foreign Policy Association’s Children’s Rights blog has made the cut. The list, which was compiled by the Criminal Justice Degree Guide, is broken down by subject matter. Featured our very own blog in under Women’s and Children’s Issues, along with others like, Field Notes, UNICEF’s blog.

The list was created due to the complex nature of issues surrounding civil liberties, and to simplify the search for relevant and reliable information, news, and civil liberties commentary. The list puts together the best in online resources relating to civil liberties legislation and news in one spot. Check out the full list for other interesting blogs of interest.

Making the list is thanks to all of the supportive readers and your great comments! Thank you for all of your support!

Today marks the 2008 World Day Against Child Labour, this years theme is: ‘Education: The right response to child labour’. This year the ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) has established the campaign to tackle the right to education for all children to brake the chain of child labour that envelops millions of children worldwide.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) there is an estimated 165 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 actively involved in child labour. Children are often forced to work long hours and are often forced to work in harsh and dangerous conditions. Child labour has a direct link to poverty, and provides a substantial barrier to a child’s education…thus enabling a barrier to a child’s education and increasing the literacy gap. Education is often taken for granted in developing nations, however many poor and impoverished families are forced to face the choose to send their child to school or work to help the family…it is that choice that has sent millions of children out of the classroom, often disparagingly girls, to toil in fields, factories, homes and the streets.

This years campaign has three main goals:

• Education for all children at least to the minimum age of employment.
• Education policies that address child labour by provision of properly resourced quality education and skills training.
• Education to promote awareness on the need to tackle child labour.

In order to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals by 2015, which has set to see that all children receive and complete a full their primary education, regardless of gender. However if the goals are to be meet then we must work to see that education is free, an issue which many families still struggle to attain funds for or are forced to choose between funds for school or often food for the family. Other issues of major priority include; gender equality in all levels of education, education and awareness about the issues and facts of child labour, and teacher shortages.

Education is not only a human right for all children, but the gateway out of poverty, as education is empowerment and empowerment is the key to brake the cycle of poverty.

For more information and resources on this years campaign see the ILO.

Is this the end for the cluster bomb? For many the idea of placing a ban on a military weapon which is said to inflict a 98% civilian casualty rate is seen by many a no brainier. However when states unite on the issue feet seem to drag. It took weeks before the latest ban on the weapon, many of which have lain scattered across countries for decades, could finally reach an agreement. Last month in Dublin, on May 28th, representatives of 111 countries agreed to ban the use of cluster bombs. The use of cluster bombs have been highly criticized by human rights groups for maiming civilians, many of which are children, who pick up unexploded bombs scattered over a large area. The agreement was reached after U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown personally intervened, however the primary manufactures and users of this cluster bombs, including; the U.S., Russia, China, Israel, India and Pakistan did, were are parties to the treaty (The Washington Post).

In wake of the treaty many landmine survivors have welcomed the ban on cluster bombs, including Uganda.

“As people who have been on the forefront of this campaign, we see the approval of the treaty as a major breakthrough and we pray that countries stick to the treaty,” Margaret Arach, the chairperson of the Uganda Landmine Survivors Association, told IRIN on 3 June.

In Laos the cost to is all to clear when you look in the faces of children like 9 year old Joi was badly injured and who’s brother was killed three years ago when they detonated a cluster bomb when they went into the nearby forest to dig for fishing worms

“It still hurts, but mostly I’m still scared … scared to go into the forest, scared to play there. I’m scared of the bomblets” (IRIN).

From 1966 to 1975 the US forces targeted 15 of 17 Laos provinces in an aerial campagin to stem the tide of North Vietnamese troops, who were infiltrating South Vietnam through the country, according to the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for the UXO/Mine Action Sector in Lao PDR. Based on records released by the US Air Force in 1999, an estimated 277 million bomblets were dropped on Laos over that time.

Right at the discussions for the treaty began landmines claim new victims in Casamanc, who is fighting for independence from Senegal, as one fatality and 20 injuries ensued as a bus drove over a landmine 70km north of the Casamance capital Ziguinchor on the 1st of May. Youssouf Coly, resident of a nearby village, agreed. ‘’I am convinced it is the rebels who have laid this mine and they are targeting the army,” he said (IRIN). The incident was the second in a week, along with other incidents of violence in violation of the December 2004 peace accord.

So will this treaty have the effect needed to see a true end to the cluster bomb? The sad reality is no, for even if all countries end their use of the weapon the harsh reality is still strewn across the ground. While demining efforts are in place in many countries, the cost of such is extensive on an economic, training and human toll. Thus leaving a mine free world as a distant dream.

Other Recent News on Cluster Bombs:
IRAQ: UN agencies call for international help to clear mines BAGHDAD, 6 April 2008 (IRIN) - Marking the third annual International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on 4 April, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for a global effort to help Iraq in its mine clearance operations.

PAKISTAN: Landmines ruin lives, leave hundreds dead - PESHAWAR, 4 April 2008 (IRIN) - Palvasha Ahmed and her two younger sisters know all too well the risks posed by landmines. “Our cousin, Maryum Ahmed, 19, was injured by a landmine nearly a year ago in her village in South Waziristan. She lost her right foot and now goes around on a crutch. No one will marry her,” the 17-year old said in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

On this Memorial Day as we remember all those who fell in the fight for freedom, forget also not the children for which so many have died for. Those children for whom freedom has been fought for around the world, those who have been left orphaned by the violence of hate and war. Remember the children in America and across the globe, remember the fight for freedom and peace is the fight for the future.