Many YMCAs are experienced in working with children and for children.

See our YMCA World issues on Children>>

UNICEF's annual report, "State of the World’s Children 2007" examines the discrimination and disempowerment women face throughout their lives – and outlines what must be done to eliminate gender discrimination and empower women and girls. It looks at the status of women today and discusses how gender equality will move all the Millennium Development Goals forward. It shows how investment in women’s rights will ultimately produce a double dividend: advancing the rights of both women and children. For more information and to download a copy of the report, visit http://www.unicef.org/sowc07.

Other NGOs also have examples of good practice in upholding children’s rights. Many of these can be found on the website of the Children’s Resource Information Network at www.crin.org which also provides excellent resources for YMCAs interested in campaigning for children’s rights.

United Nations Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children

In October 2006 the United Nations launched a Report with recommendations on how to address violence against children. The report is available at www.violencestudy.org in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

Child friendly materials, including a child’s version of the Report with educational activities, are also available from the website. Through the World Alliance, a young person from the YMCA of Gaza was involved in putting together these materials at the United Nations in New York. “These materials are particularly aimed at the children themselves to explore how to take action to stop violence, but they can also be used by workers on the ground, such as YMCA staff” said Dr. Gillespie,  Director of the Study Secretariat.

Hereafter an interview with Dr. Gillepsie:

Violence Against Children: how can we stop it ?

Dr. Amaya Gillespie, Director of the Secretariat of the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence Against Children, talks to YMCA World about the Study and how it can help to end violence against children.

YMCA World: Were there any recommendations in the Study that surprised you ?

Dr. Gillespie: There were no real surprises but we found that some forms of violence don't even have a name. For example, in many languages there is no word for "bullying". If the violence against children hasn't even been named, it's very hard to suggest that anyone is responsible for it.

Many people consider violence as an individual response, but what the study shows is that systems can stop violence against children. For example, if schools have clear codes of conduct, violence can be prevented. And public policies on support for low- resource communities, unemployment, or even the physical design of community spaces can make a difference.

We also found that most violence has a gender dimension. For example, we found examples of written and implied policies in schools that still use corporal punishment which had different rules for its use depending on whether a boy or a girl was involved - usually resulting in more liberal use of it with boys, and therefore reinforcing stereotypes about boys needing to be tough physically and emotionally.

YMCA World: There has been a lot of research already done on violence against children. What's new about this study ?

Dr. Gillespie: This is the first time that an international picture of violence against children is emerging. What's new is that the study calls for systematic research on violence against children and coordinated, international indicators are being proposed. Monitoring and responding to violence against children should be a routine part of country planning processes such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and UN Development Assistance Frameworks. We want children not just to survive, but to reach their full potential. And this means country processes need to focus much more on children, especially preventing violence against children.

This is also the first time that a study has looked at all aspects of violence and its cross-cutting nature, involving a range of sectors, organisations and mandates - it has brought the whole network together. Coordination is one of the biggest challenges we found at every level, for all countries whether higher or lower resourced.

We also found that in each of the five settings where violence occurs (home, school, care and justice systems, work, community), there are lots of common features. We have identified in the Study a set of overarching recommendations, which if implemented together, can achieve substantial benefits for children. One of the biggest challenges is the gap between what international instruments and legislation say, and implementation on the ground.

YMCA World: How will the child-friendly version of the Report be used?

Dr. Gillespie: All the way through the process we consulted children from local networks to get their input into the study. We are producing a child-friendly version of the report plus child-friendly educational materials which we hope organisations like the YMCA will use widely. These are particularly aimed at the children themselves to explore how to take action to stop violence, but they can also be used by workers on the ground, such as YMCA staff. We will also produce a book for implementers which focuses more on each of the settings and what can be done.

YMCA World: What do you think needs to happen to ensure this Report doesn't become another document that sits on a shelf?

Dr. Gillespie: Every government is aware of this study and 133 governments responded to the questionnaire, which we think shows that there is real interest in stopping violence against children. We've made special efforts to involve governments, NGOs and children from the very beginning to increase ownership of the recommendations. We're encouraged by the level of engagement - we feel it's brought together people who were previously working on different aspects of violence against children.

The study also recommends that the UN Secretary General appoints a special representative on violence against children to act as a high profile global advocate and to encourage international and regional cooperation. At international level, advocacy is the key to getting results, but it's at country level where the impact is really felt.

YMCA World: So what can YMCAs do?

Dr. Gillespie: There are at least three important things that you can do.

1. Work with governments and other organisations to conduct a national launch of the Study Report, but with a local flavour, raising the profile of the issue of violence against children at national level, and emphasising the need to include the issues in national planning.

2. Use the new Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF and the World Alliance of YMCAs to link up at country level to implement the Report's recommendations.

3. YMCAs can also support children to remain involved in the process at country level and make the child-friendly materials widely available.

Tareq Saba, 15 years old, from the YMCA of Gaza, attended a Children's Consultation in May of this year to discuss the draft report and give input to the child-friendly version.

The Study on Violence Against Children will be launched on 12th October 2006 at the UN General Assembly. For more information visit www.violencestudy.org/r25.

To top