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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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GROWING up in violence and abuse seriously affects a child’s development, dignity, and physical and psychological integrity. Imagine what future awaits a country with children growing up in violence and abuse.
Yesterday was the United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day. This observance was established in 1954 and is celebrated every Nov. 20 to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.
The choice of date had a reason – Nov. 20 was the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It was also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
One of the aims of the annual observance is to stop violence against children. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, every year millions of children around the world become victims of untold violence. Children in every country, every culture and at every social level face various forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence. The abuse takes place at home, in school, in institutions, at work, in the community, in armed conflict and natural disasters.
Much violence against children, such as corporal punishment and sexual abuse, remains legal and socially approved in many countries. The violence children face takes many forms, such as exploitation and abuse, trafficking, physical and humiliating punishment, harmful traditional practices (including early marriage and genital mutilation/cutting) and recruitment into armed forces and groups.
The annual Universal Children’s Day offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children. Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses and doctors, government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals as well as young people and children themselves can play an important part in promoting children rights and welfare.
Growing up in violence and abuse seriously affects a child’s development, dignity, and physical and psychological integrity. Imagine the future of a country with children growing up in violence and abuse.
Bleak.
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