2007 Poster
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Open Letter 2007
to more than 780 WWSF Coalition Members and Partners
(Governmental, non-governmental, grassroots organizations and
groups in 128 countries)
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Dear Members,
Partners, Friends,
We thank you for registering as an active or supportive coalition member
in this year’s global campaign for prevention of child abuse and violence
against children. WWSF acknowledges not only the progress achieved in
making prevention of child abuse a priority over the last 8 years, but also
the commitment of so many dedicated actors and partners: many among the 710
organizations from 119 countries that marked and/or supported the Day last
year sent us reports of activities and events, focusing on either physical,
sexual and/or emotional abuse, neglect and violence. Global impact reports
are published on our web site
www.woman.ch/children/1-coalitionimpact.php.
However, despite all our collective efforts child abuse and violence
against children are on the rise and manifest in new ways. Today, the issue
of media violence deserves high attention considering the importance of the
damage done to millions of children who are exposed to it on a daily basis.
It is for this reason that we chose to focus this year on protecting
children from media violence with recommendations for activities to alert
your members, civil society as a whole, governments as well as the media to
center efforts to reduce child exposure to violence in the mass media.
You are however free to organize events that you feel need prioritizing in
your countries and we wish you great success with your 2007 programs and
hope that our Call to Action mentioned below is helpful in planning your
campaign projects.
Laure Maitrejean, Global program co-ordinator - WWSF Children’s Section
Call to Action
• Call to Action • Call to Action
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1-
Protect children from media violence: reduce exposure and promote the Rights
of the Child
The media is, without a doubt, a highly significant aspect of contemporary
children’s lives. It constitutes their most significant leisure-time pursuit
by far. Over the last quarter-century, violence in television programs, video
games and other entertainment products for children has gradually increased.
After decades of debates, there is now a general consensus that media
violence is a risk factor that contributes to the development of aggressive
behavior, fears and anxieties.
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Definition:
“Media” includes the whole range of modern communications: television,
the cinema, video, radio, photography, advertising, newspapers and
magazines, recorded music, computer games, the Internet, etc.
Convention on the Rights of the Child:
Article 17 identifies specific responsibilities for the media and
states: “States Parties recognize the important function performed by the
mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and
material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially
those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral
well-being and physical and mental health.”
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Request the media
to:
- Ensure that the best
interests of the child are not compromised
- Create awareness of the ways
in which children are portrayed in the media and encourage an
ethical reporting culture which respects children and their rights
- Avoid the use of stereotypes
and sensational presentations in promoting journalistic materials
involving children
- Discontinue the use of sexualized
images of children
- Further the development of a
human rights culture through training and advocacy initiatives.
Source: www.mediamonitoring.org.za
Educate your
members & your constituency to:
- Protect and equip children against the
dangers of the media: prepare them to understand the media culture that
surrounds them; have a say in the media consumption of children and
young people
- Make children and the
general public more aware of the responsibilities of the media in their
practices and functions
- Remind media professionals
of their ethical responsibility and the need to respect the standards
set by their profession
- Call to re-examine the
government’s role in media regulation.
Media education becomes more and more crucial. Each actor (teacher,
parent, caregiver, journalist, producer and broadcaster) must be made
sensitive to the needs of young people and to the Rights of the Child.
Source: portal.unesco.org
Lobby your
Government to:
- Forbid the use of violence
as a normal way to solve conflicts in TV programs for children
- Forbid airing of violent
movies on TV before 10 PM
- Forbid the marketing to
children of products that are considered inappropriate for them
according to ratings
- Forbid the sale to children
of movie tickets, music recordings and video games that are suitable
only for adults
- Forbid the sale of violent
video games to children.
Increased legislation is the most efficient way for reducing the marketing
of violent entertainment to children.
Source: www.edupax.org
Internet use -
suggestions to parents / caregivers
- Ask your children to
show you what they do in cyberspace
- Get to know sites your
children visit
- Place the computer in
a central location (not in children’s bedrooms)
- Implement safeguards
(filtering software) to block access to adult-orientated sites and limit
access to special sites for children
- Educate your child to
follow guidelines when surfing the Net*:
1.
Be careful - you don’t know who is behind the screen!
2.
Never tell anyone your name or age!
3.
Never tell anyone your password!
4.
Be careful when you “chat”!
5.
Never tell anyone your address or where you live!
6.
Do not send your photo to anyone!
7.
Never arrange to meet someone without telling one of your parents!
8.
Don’t believe everything people tell you!
9.
Never reply to e-mails which shock you!
10.
If what you see on the screen upsets you, leave the website or call one of
your parents. * Source: www.actioninnocence.org (10
commandments for a young
internaut)
WWSF
contribution: TV Spots
 WWSF
produced in 2007 a public service announcement (for television, Internet and
movie theatre viewing) to alert and mobilize civil society for better
prevention of abuse and violence against children. TV spots are available in
English and French on the WWSF website www.woman.ch.
CD’s can be obtained from WWSF for a cost of US$ 20 per copy.
TV spot message:
“19 November is World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse. But one day is
not enough. Every day, all together, let us unite for better prevention.”
2-
Participate, observe, promote, and support the World Day - 19 November
For those who are new to the World Day coalition, we reiterate that there
are many ways organizations can support the annual campaign (conferences,
workshops, educational and cultural programs, art competitions in schools,
churches, on television and the Internet, among others).
- Organize joint activities with
other organizations and groups
- Invite children and young
people to participate and become the real actors of the Day
- Increase and
disseminate
education programs on abuse prevention and protection skills
- Adopt a Code of Conduct and
Child Protection Policy for all staff, interns, volunteers and other
individuals working with children
- Reinforce collaboration with
your Government, local political and religious leaders, your Mayor and
social institutions
- Lobby your Government to
proclaim a National Day for Prevention of Child Abuse – 19 November
- Remind your Head of State and
Government of the promises made to the children at the UN General
Assembly Special Session on Children (2002)
- Promote, distribute
and use the
yellow sticker “YES to prevention of child abuse!” in your campaign
- Inform the media about the
World Day and invite them to report on your local/national activities
and events
- Engage your religious
leaders and faith-based organizations to mark the Day and join the
campaign to prevent child abuse and violence
- Share pertinent information
with the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography
www.ohchr.org
- Study and share the new Council of
Europe Convention on the Protection of children against sexual
exploitation and sexual abuse wcd.coe.int
3-
Share and promote the UN SG’s Study on Violence against Children - Help
implement its recommendations
The Study was a global effort to paint a detailed picture of the
nature, extent and causes of violence against children, and to propose
clear recommendations for action to prevent and respond to it. The Study
marks the first time that the reality of violence against children around the
world has been documented, and global recommendations made to stop it.
Professor Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, the Independent Expert who led the Study,
presented the final Report to the UN General Assembly (New York, October
2006). In addition, a more in depth publication of the Study was presented in
Geneva, which contains more details, case studies, and best practice examples
including child-friendly materials (age 12-18). Title: "Our Right to be
Protected from Violence". Materials for younger children (under 10
years) “Safe You and Safe Me” have also been published. For more information:www.violencestudy.org
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The core message of the Study is
that no violence against children is justifiable. All violence
against children is preventable. There can be no compromise. Therefore,
member states, all sectors of society and all individuals must commit
themselves to ensure protection from all forms of abuse and violence
against children.
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Overarching recommendations
Actions that all States must take to prevent violence against children and
to respond to it effectively if it occurs:
- Strengthen national
and local commitment and action
- Prohibit all
violence against children
- Prioritize
prevention
- Promote non-violent
values and awareness-raising
- Enhance the capacity
of all who work with and for children
- Provide recovery and
social reintegration services
- Ensure the
participation of children
- Create accessible
and child-friendly reporting systems and services
- Ensure
accountability and end impunity
- Address the gender
dimension of violence against children
- Develop and
implement systematic national data collection and research
- Strengthen
international commitment
Call for the appointment of a Special Representative to the
Secretary- General on violence against children
The NGO Advisory Council for follow up to the UN Study issued a call for
action requesting organizations around the world to sign up to the
statement supporting the appointment of a Special Representative to the
Secretary-General on violence against children. The goal is to have at
least 1000 organizations endorse the statement by September 15, 2007,
representing all countries in the world. The statement will then be
presented at the UN during the General Assembly to demonstrate the strength
of NGO support for a Special Representative. If your organization has not
yet signed on, please do so right away. Sign the petition and see the full
list of signatories:
http://www.crin.org/violence
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The Independent Expert has prioritized for 2007 the following five
overarching recommendations and requests partners to provide
information on substantial lines of action that have been taken to follow
up on the Study:
- Integration in
national planning processes of measures to prevent and respond to
violence against children, including the appointment of a focal point
to foster the implementation of this plan
- Strengthening of
legal frameworks in conformity with the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, particularly galvanizing support for the prohibition of all
forms of violence
- Prevention of
violence
- Promotion of the
participation of children and structures to support it
- Strengthening of
data collection and research
In addition:
- Widely disseminate
the Study findings, recommendations and products.
- Identify and
disseminate proven and promising practices - with particular attention
to sharing these and promoting scaling up
- Strengthen networks
and information sharing
Prof. Pinheiro will also continue discussion with UN member states and
all other relevant partners to define a feasible medium term follow up
framework which considers actions at national, regional, and international
levels.
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WWSF contribution: Manifesto 2007
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WWSF supports the full implementation of the Study’s recommendations and
commits to annually raise awareness, lobby Governments to urgently commit
to end all forms of abuse and violence against children and to establish
national protection systems that include the elimination of violence as a
priority goal.
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A Call to make prevention of abuse &
violence against children a priority.
Because the year 2007 must be a new beginning
with the adoption of the General Assembly Resolution of the UN Study on
violence against children
Because a culture of prevention is needed to
help implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Because prevention demands of each and every
one of us to take a stand and become an active agent for change for the
creation of a world fit for children
Because we are aware of our share of
responsibility, we pledge in our daily lives, families, places of work,
communities, countries and regions, to
Prioritize prevention by
- Prohibiting abuse
and violence against children in all its forms (physical, sexual,
emotional and neglect)
- Strengthening
international, national and local commitment and action
- Raising awareness
that violence against children is a violation of children's rights and
encouraging citizens to challenge it
- Promoting
non-violent values and good examples of prevention programs (WWSF
Clearinghouse)
- Participating with
local activities and events marking the annual World Day for
prevention of child abuse 19 November
- Sharing effective
measures for preventing child abuse and combating violence through
legislation and national action plans for the UN Study recommendations
to be successful
- Reminding States
regularly of the overarching UN Study recommendations and urging them
to demonstrate political will by providing adequate resources to
deliver concrete results
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