WUNRN
GIRLS - GIRLS - GIRLS
Website of the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence Against Children: http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/
REPORT TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
2012
Direct Link to Full 25-Page 2012
Report in 6 Official UN Languages:
A_67_230_Eng.pdf - A_67_230_Ar.pdf - A_67_230_Ru.pdf
B. Enhancing Awareness &
Consolidating Knowledge
2. Protection
from Harmful Practices in Plural Legal Systems
15.Throughout
the world, countless numbers of girls and boys fall
victims
to harmful practices, including female genital mutilation or
cutting, early and forced marriage, degrading initiation rites, breast
ironing, son preference, stoning, honour killings, forced feeding,
witchcraft,
and many other less-known forms of harmful practices.
Often violent in nature, these practices compromise the development
and education of the child, have serious and long-lasting health and
psychological consequences, and may result in disability or death.
16. Despite the call made in the Study for all harmful practices to be
prohibited by law, this is not the reality in many countries around the
world.
In some cases, general legislation on assault and bodily injury
is
applicable but rarely used or enforced, because of the social
acceptance of those deeply entrenched practices......
17.In order to reflect on these questions and identify opportunities for
change,
the Special Representative and Plan International, in close
cooperation with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and
Welfare of the Child, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), OHCHR, and the
International NGO Council on Violence Against Children co-hosted an
international expert consultation.
19.
Inconsistencies in legal regulation, selective implementation and
compliance, and insufficient resources, together with lack of
awareness
within communities, prejudices among personnel and
weak capacity
to address children's rights among law enforcement
officials, the judiciary, traditional leaders and judges in customary and
religious
courts were identified as critical challenges.