LEADERS CALL FOR ACTION TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM VIOLENCE AND ABUSE DURING COVID-19

Le organizzazioni mondiali scrivono ai governanti sui rischi per i bambini nei giorni della pandemia da Covid-19. Tra questi l’Ispcan di cui il Cismai è unico partner italiano.
21 sono le organizzazioni leader nel mondo che hanno sottoscritto questo documento con cui si chiede ai governi di integrare i piani di emergenza da COVID-19 con misure di tutela e protezione per le bambine e i bambini. Se da un lato ogni sforzo va compiuto per contenere la pandemia, dall’altro non possiamo ignorare che proprio le norme di isolamento e rarefazione dei contatti sociali stanno esponendo i bambini ad un aumentato rischio di violenza, inclusi maltrattamenti, violenza di genere e sfruttamento sessuale. Vi si legge ciò che, in una certa misura, anche la petizione Che impatto avrà l’isolamento sui bambini “invisibili”? chiede al nostro governo: elevare il livello di tutela e protezione per i minori di età che vivono in condizioni di fragilità o in contesti famigliari poveri e disfunzionali. Sostenere le famiglie in difficoltà. Non trascurare i segnali di allarme. Esercitare protezione e assistenza continue per i bambini. Irrobustire i servizi anche online.
Inoltre si fa esplicito richiamo ai pericoli che provengono dalla Rete: “mentre le comunità online sono diventate centrali per mantenere l’apprendimento, il supporto e il gioco di molti bambini, sta anche aumentando la loro esposizione al cyberbullismo, al comportamento online rischioso e allo sfruttamento sessuale.”
Non è solo il CISMAI che avvisa dei rischi, sono Unicef, WHO, Ispcam, Save the Children….oltre a tante altre organizzazioni nazionali. Si tratta di quella numerosa parte del mondo che conosce i rischi a cui sono esposti i bambini e che “continuerà a sostenere e investire in soluzioni efficaci per la protezione dei minori”
Buona lettura!

Today, 21 global leaders came together in solidarity to share their concern, call for action and pledge their support to protect children from the heightened risk of violence, and to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on children in every country and community.

Through a joint statement, these leaders call for an urgent, united effort to address violence against children as part of the broader response to COVID-19. Everyone has a role to play in this response, including the international community and leaders from every sector. Specifically, the statement acknowledges that governments should ensure COVID-19 prevention and response plans integrate age-appropriate, gender-sensitive measures to protect children from violence, exploitation and abuse.

We encourage you to share this statement with your partners and networks to help spark action at the local, national and global levels.

Read the Leaders’ Statement in full below, download the PDF and share via TwitterFacebook or Instagram.

LEADERS’ STATEMENT

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact across the world. Efforts to contain the coronavirus are vital to the health of the world’s population, but they are also exposing children to increased risk of violence – including maltreatment, gender-based violence and sexual exploitation.

As leaders of organisations committed to ending violence against children, we come together in solidarity to share our deep concern, call for action and pledge our support to protect children from violence and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on children in every country and community.

A third of the global population is on COVID-19 lockdown, and school closures have impacted more than 1.5 billion children. Movement restrictions, loss of income, isolation, overcrowding and high levels of stress and anxiety are increasing the likelihood that children experience and observe physical, psychological and sexual abuse at home – particularly those children already living in violent or dysfunctional family situations. And while online communities have become central to maintain many children’s learning, support and play, it is also increasing their exposure to cyberbullying, risky online behaviour and sexual exploitation.

The situation is aggravated by children’s lack of access to school friends, teachers, social workers and the safe space and services that schools provide. The most vulnerable children – including refugees, migrants, and children who are internally displaced, deprived of liberty, living without parental care, living on the street and in urban slums, with disabilities, and living in conflict-affected areas – are a particular concern. For many, growing economic vulnerability will increase the threat of child labour, child marriage and child trafficking.

We must act now. Together, we call on governments, the international community and leaders in every sector to urgently respond with a united effort to protect children from the heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse as part of the broader response to COVID-19.

Governments have a central role to play. They must ensure that COVID-19 prevention and response plans integrate age-appropriate and gender-sensitive measures to protect all children from violence, neglect and abuse. Child protection services and workers must be designated as essential and resourced accordingly.

 

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