UNICEF expresses its concern about the use of children and adolescents in confrontations calls for the defence of their rights
La Paz – Bolivia, September 13, 2008.- The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF- Bolivia has expressed its concern over the use and presence of boys, girls and teenagers in various confrontation scenarios and violent disturbances that have occurred over the last few days.
Bolivia is a signatory country to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as “any human being under teh age of 18 years old.” The main objective of this convention is to ensure that the rights of children are protected in every circumstance, and places responsibility on the State, institutions, communities, families, the media and society in general to ensure that these rights are respected.
The Child and Adolescent Code, the country’s current legislation in this respect, is consistent with the universal vision of defending the higher interests of children. However, the use and presence of children and adolescents – and the taking advantage of their energy and vitality – in protests, marches and violent confrontations violates their rights and places them in vulnerable situations, affecting their physical integrity and impacting on their psycho-affective development.
Confrontations, as has been seen, can jeopardise the fulfilment of their rights in the areas of food, health, education, safety, protection and can even result in them becoming orphans.
At the same time, when children take active part in, are witness to or victims of adults’ inability to resolve conflicts peacefully and through dialogue, this creates patterns of intolerance, discrimination and violence, which are likely to be repeated in the future, thus perpetuating a negative model of conflict resolution within their family and social lives.
Within this context, UNICEF is making a general call to the Bolivian people and their institutions to defend and protect the rights of children and adolescents, and put a stop to them taking part in dramatic situations of confrontation which put their lives at risk and deprive them of the conditions they need to grow up healthy and fully develop their future.
UNICEF congratulates all the initiatives that can drive to an immediate cease of the disturbances and confrontations, whose impact is very negative in vulnerable populations, especially children. Also, makes an appeal to the urgent necessity of establishment of peace corridor in order to provide humanitarian assistance to needed people. In the same way, joins the recent message of the Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, which urges all concerned to act with restraint and to prevent any further confrontation.
For more information:
Gridvia Kuncar, Especialista de Comunicación de Programas
Teléfono (591-2) 2623235 - Cellular (591) 71561728
gkuncar@unicef.org
Delina Garsón, Communications Assistant
Telephone (591-2) 2623249 – Cellular (591) 72001786
dgarson@unicef.org
