18 December 2007 - CRINMAIL 942
**NEWS IN BRIEF**
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SOUTH AFRICA: Tough new sex law means no more teen kisses [news]
[18 December 2007] - Teenagers in South Africa under the age of 16 caught kissing, touching or rubbing up against each other may be prosecuted under new legislation.
The new Sexual Offences Act, signed into law by President Thabo Mbeki, has criminalised kissing, or any light sexual behaviour among people under the age of 16, even if it is consensual.
Also illegal under the new act is any sexual activity, including oral sex, between consenting teens aged 15 and younger.
The new act, which has made sweeping changes to the definition of rape, has been met with mixed reviews by advocacy groups who hail certain aspects but condemn others.
"Ridiculous"
Samantha Waterhouse, advocacy manager of Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (RAPCAN), said that the laws covering consenting sexual behaviour, especially the aspects of non-penetrative sex among teenagers under the age of 16, were "ridiculous".
"It is irrational. It does not help our cause at all because all it does is make criminals of a wide range of teenagers."
Although NGOs have hailed portions of the act - such as the new definition of rape, which includes rape of males - they say the legislation has failed to deal meaningfully with the key challenges in prosecuting cases of sexual violence against children.
Joan van Niekerk, national co-ordinator of Childline, said the act failed children and adolescents in court as it required them, as before, to testify in the presence of defendants.
The act - passed without any public hearings - was not the bill recommended by the South African Law Reform Commission, Van Niekerk said.
Court protection removed
"All the provisions that protect child witnesses were removed.
"Also, what we are bitterly disappointed by is that the cautionary law attached to child witnesses, which basically says that judges should take a cautious approach to a child's testimony as it may not be reliable, is still in the act," Van Niekerk said.
"There is no evidence that suggests that the testimony given by a child is not reliable. Research has shown that a child's testimony is even more reliable than an adult's."
Waterhouse said one aspect that had let down advocacy groups was the language in the act.
"The drafting of the offences is complicated and confusing," Waterhouse said.
The act's definition of rape has been widely praised, however.
It includes penetration of the mouth, anus and genital organs of one person with the genital organs or another body part of another person, or an object, or part of the body of an animal.
Male rape included
This means men and boys may now file complaints of rape with the police.
Under the old act, rape was defined only as vaginal penetration and excluded anal and oral penetration. Perpetrators accused of anal or oral penetration were charged with indecent assault, seen as a lesser offence than rape.
The act also introduces a range of crimes that relate specifically to the sexual exploitation of children and people with mental disability.
These include sexual grooming, sexual exploitation and the use of children or people with mental disabilities in pornography, or pornography being displayed to children.
[Source: www.iol.co.za]
Further information
- Germany: Plan to criminalise teenage sexual activity halted (13 December 2007)
- South Africa: New rape laws mean better protection for children (17 December 2007)
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15859
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AUSTRALIA: Hitting kids by the book, based on Proverbs and pain [news]
[MELBOURNE, 17 December 2007] - A book and DVD instructing parents how to hit their children with rulers, tree branches and belts is being sold from an online bookshop in Melbourne, Australia.
To Train Up a Child, written by American couple Michael and Debi Pearl, urges parents to follow what it claims is a biblical edict for the strict physical discipline of children. The book tells parents not to use their hands, but instead to use objects to cause "sufficient pain" to children. The Joy of Training is a DVD demonstrating the controversial techniques.
The actions described in the book could constitute assault under Victorian law depending on the severity of the impact. Previously, parents have been convicted of assault for using objects to hit their children under the guise of discipline, and a New South Wales state law has effectively outlawed the use of objects to hit children.
To Train Up a Child says it draws inspiration from the Bible to compel parents to use force against their children, including the lines from Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."
"The passage clearly states that a failure to apply the rod is due to the parents' hating the child," the Pearls' book says.
The book gives instructions on what objects parent ought to use in disciplining their children.
Appropriate weapon
"Select your instrument according to the child's size," the book says. "For the under one year old, a little, 10 to 12-inch long, willowy branch (striped (sic) of any knots that might break the skin) about one-eighth inch diameter is sufficient. Sometimes alternatives have to be sought. A one-foot ruler, or its equivalent in a paddle, is a sufficient alternative. For the larger child, a belt or larger tree branch is effective."
The book and video are sold online by Kingsley Educational Pty Ltd, based in Mount Waverley.
The business is run by the Angelico family. Parents John and Marjo Angelico have home schooled each of their seven children.
Mr Angelico is a convener with the Presbyterian Church and has said in a previous interview that he uses a cane to discipline his children.
Mrs Angelico said the company had been selling the book for up to a decade and denied the text was being used to harm children.
"The people who really read the book, I think they'd take it all very much in context.
"We don't go along with everything that's in them."
The book and video are also for sale with online retailer Amazon.
Child protection activists are outraged that parents are being urged to inflict pain on children and say the message undermines Australia's obligations under the international convention on children's rights.
"This is promoting violence towards children, and to me this is going too far," said Joe Tucci, chief executive of lobby group the Australian Childhood Foundation.
"It's counter-productive to the parenting task, which is to educate your children about rules and about values," Dr Tucci said. "It's just not effective and it's also morally wrong. The fact that these texts use a religious argument to support their propositions distorts the immorality of using extreme force against a child in order to teach them a lesson."
[Source: The Age, Australia; www.theage.com]
Further information
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15841
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EMERGENCIES: World Disasters Report 2007 - Focus on discrimination [publication]
[13 December 2007] - Discrimination threatens lives in emergencies, and governments and aid agencies should pay more attention to the needs of vulnerable groups who suffer most in disasters, the Red Cross said in a new report.
Crises worsen discrimination against the elderly, people with disabilities, children, some minorities and women, and those who respond to disasters have a responsibility to identify and tackle discriminatory attitudes and procedures, according to the World Disasters Report 2007.
"The answer to this discrimination must be dialogue, openness and understanding," said Markku Niskala, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). "Aid agencies need to work to change attitudes, develop inclusion and advocate on behalf of marginalised groups."
Existing discrimination is often invisible - either because of a lack of official data about vulnerable groups, or because it is formed and fostered within communities and families.
And when a disaster happens, aid agencies sometimes carry out assessments without analysing the needs of marginalised people - meaning they fail to receive life-saving food, water and medical care.
Power play
Blind, deaf or paralysed people may not be able to flee danger on their own. Young and old people lose out when relief is dropped from helicopters, and emergency shelters often exclude people with disabilities.
Poorly designed camps can make women more vulnerable to sexual violence, and prevent minorities from accessing aid, the report says.
"Humanitarian workers have heightened power in disasters; they have money, resources, information, networks, emblems and authority," writes Judi Fairholm, technical director of a Canadian Red Cross programme to prevent child abuse.
"The risk of discrimination is high. The success of disaster operations and the prevention of discrimination may depend on the way in which power is exercised."
The report calls for a clear international definition of marginalisation and vulnerability, as well as tools to help governments and aid agencies reduce discrimination.
It says individual countries should carry out a census to identify groups at risk in an emergency, and aid agencies need to share information and improve their understanding of the impact of discrimination.
It also recommends that vulnerable groups should be included in planning for disasters before they happen, as well as recovery efforts afterwards.
[Source: AlertNet]
Further information
- CRIN Newsletter 20: Child Rights and Emergencies (February 2007)
- World Disasters Report 2006: Living in the shadows (December 2006)
- More on discrimination and children (CRIN's issues page)
Visit: http://crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15830&flag=report
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EUROPE: EU leaders sign first Treaty to include children's rights [news]
[14 December 2007] - The European Children’s Network (EURONET), representing children’s rights NGOs from across Europe, welcomes the signing of the Reform “Lisbon” Treaty on 13 December by European leaders in Lisbon.
“The new Treaty is a significant step forward for the protection of the rights of the 100 million children living in the EU” said Mieke Schuurman, EURONET Secretary General on the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, which includes the protection of children’s rights in the internal and external objectives of the European Union. “The Treaty will pave the way for children’s rights and will ensure that the best interests of the child are taken into account in all EU policy-making affecting them”.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights, which includes children’s rights, is made binding by the new Treaty. However there are opt-outs for the UK and Poland that will weaken protection for children.
“Many areas of EU policy making have an impact on children” noted Kathleen Spencer Chapman, President of EURONET. “Children’s’ NGOs have long been highlighting the need for all EU actions to be in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We are calling for a speedy ratification process of the Reform Treaty in all EU Member States”.
The Lisbon Treaty will come into force only after ratification by all 27 Member States. EURONET calls on EU institutions and Member States to make children’s rights a reality with clear political commitment and sufficient human and financial resources.
Find out what provisions the new Treaty means for children's rights
Further information
For more information, contact:
European Children's Network (EURONET)
Avenue des Arts, 1, First Floor, 1210, Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 217 0186 ; Fax: +32 (0)2 513 4903
Email: europeanchildrenetwork@skynet.be
Website: www.crin.org/euronet/
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15836
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AUSTRIA: The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking [event]
Date: 13 to 15 February 2008
Location: Vienna, Austria
The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) aims to mobilise state and non-state players to eradicate human trafficking by reducing both the vulnerability of potential victims and the demand for exploitation in all its forms; ensuring adequate protection and support to those who do fall victim, as well as efficient prosecution of the criminals involved.
In carrying out its mission, UN.GIFT will increase knowledge and awareness on human trafficking; promote effective rights-based responses; build capacity of state and non-state players; and foster partnerships for joint action against human trafficking.
Objectives of The Vienna Forum
The objective of The Vienna Forum is to raise awareness, facilitate cooperation and partnerships among the various stakeholders.
The Forum will allow for an open environment to enable all parties involved to take concrete steps to fight human trafficking, within their spheres of action.
The Forum will be a catalyst for solution-seeking ideas and address three overriding themes on human trafficking:
- Vulnerability: why does human trafficking happen;
- Impact: human and social consequences of human trafficking;
- Action: innovative approaches to solving complex problems.
Participation
The Vienna Forum will bring together representatives from Member States, UN system organisations, other regional and international organisations, the business community, academia, non-governmental organisations and other elements of civil society.
Structure
The Vienna Forum will consist of plenary sessions and a variety of panel discussions and workshops especially designed to address the multi-faceted dimensions of human trafficking.
For more information, contact:
United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking
c/o United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
PO Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-0
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15850
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AWARDS: Winners of child rights award announced, call for entries [announcement/call for entries]
STARS Foundation awards three African organisations US$100,000 each in recognition of their work with children.
The Awards are made in the categories of health, protection and education. This year’s recipients are:
- The Health Award recipient, Harare-based Island Hospice Zimbabwe, was selected for its work with child carers who are increasingly being relied upon to care for dying parents and who may themselves be infected with HIV/AIDS.
- The Education Award recipient, Iringa-based Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) Tanzania, was selected for its work with young people to provide peer to peer sexual reproductive health education in remote rural communities.
- The Protection Award recipient, CapeTown-based RAPCAN (Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) was selected for its provision of support and care for children required to give evidence in court of sexual abuse.
Applications for the 2008 Awards are now open to organisations in Africa. Application forms are available at www.starsfoundation.org.uk.
EMPLOYMENT - ECPAT - Ghana Media Advocacy Program - ISPCAN [job applications]
- ECPAT - Information Officer (Bangkok, Thailand)
ECPAT is a network of organisations and individuals working together to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
The appointee will provide a comprehensive information service to the global ECPAT International network and child rights community and to support ECPAT member groups to develop their information and resource services at the national and local level. They will guide, oversee and manage the operations of ECPAT International Information and Education Department (IED).
Deadline: 8 January 2007
For more information, visit: http://www.ecpat.net/temp/ecpatx/ecpatx/Newsite//Get_involved/Vacancies/index2.asp
- Ghana Media Advocacy Program - Reporting internships (Ghana)
The Ghana Media Advocacy Program (GMAP) is looking for journalists interested in interning in Ghana for three months from February through April 2008 on a reporting project investigating child trafficking in developing countries.
The internship is open to student journalists, working journalists and NGO activists interested in learning about blogging, vlogging (video blogging) and podcasting. Participants must pay for their own travel and accommodation expenses, though GMAP will assist in making arrangements.
Deadline: 20 January 2007
For an application and fact sheet contact Malik Jeleel at malik@gmap-cs.org,malikjeleel@yahoo.com or Kiko Kwabena Smith at smith@gmap-cs.org.
- IPSCAN - Senior Events/Communications Assistant (Chicago, USA)
ISPCAN is a nonprofit (non-governmental) professional organisation, established in 1977, focused on providing education, research, practical training and information to protect children from abuse and neglect worldwide.
The Senior Events/Communications Assistant will report to and support Sr. Congress/ Conference Manager with events (international congresses and regional conferences), Membership Services Manager with publications and Development Manager with fundraising. This position will support some general international projects, programmes and organisational work, but largely focus on the area of educational events and publications as well as related fundraising, sponsorship and scholarship projects. For more information, visit: www.ispcan.org
Deadline for enquiries: 3 January 2007.
Send letter of interest, resume, references and salary requirements to: ISPCAN, Attn: Sr. Congress/Conference Manager, 245 W. Roosevelt Road, Building 6, Suite 39, West Chicago, IL 60185, Tel: 630/876-6913, Fax: 630/876-6917. Email: eventmanager@ispcan.org
**NEWS IN BRIEF**
UN: General Assembly adopts resolution on rights of the Child (18 December 2007)
http://www.crin.org/Law/instrument.asp?InstID=1214
Taiwan: Child witnesses of violence at home face risks (18 December 2007)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=15855
Chad: Army forcibly recruiting youths, rights group says (17 December 2007)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15839&flag=news
Brazil: ILO and Brazil launch South-South cooperation against child labour (17 December 2007)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15844&flag=news
Adoption: US ratifies Hague Convention (13 December 2007)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=15819&flag=news
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