Advocacy
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© UNICEF Malaysia/2006/Nadchatram |
Child rights
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the first international human rights instrument to address the protection of children from violence.
UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Attorney-General’s Chambers in 2008 to uphold the principles of the CRC for children in Malaysia. This includes targetted and strategic advocacy and dialogues with a range of actors with the support of the former Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of Child, Professor Jaap Doek.
Malaysian child index
The Malaysian Child Index was developed in 2006 through a multi-ministerial partnership to measure progress made on child welfare issues. Indicators have been developed to assess the disparity in levels of wellbeing across the different states of Malaysia. The Index serves as a barometer for the success of certain policy intiatives and resource allocation, and includes social protection indicators to evaluate the parity of social protection provision, as well as monitor the success of such measures.
UNICEF will continue working with the Social Sciences Research Centre of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to look at institutionalising the Index for more effective monitoring and evaluation of child-focused programs.
Positive discipline
Schools have a duty to provide safe and nurturing environments that support and promote children’s education and development. Spaces of learning should be free of violence, where children can learn and play safely, secure in the knowledge that they are protected from being hurt, humiliated, threatened and mistreated.
UNICEF is working with HELP University College Psychology Department and the Ministry of Education to introduce non-violent and positive forms of discipline into classrooms. A pilot program has been tested in selected primary and secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur and Perak.
