Violence against children
By VERDEL BISHOP Monday, October 10 2011
Violence against children is one of the most serious issues affecting young people today. A UNICEF study defines violence as the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, that results or is likely to result in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation.
According to a publication of the United Nations Secretary General’s Study on Violence against Children, which highlighted the scale of the problem and its devastating consequences, 80,000 children die annually in Latin American and the Caribbean as a consequence of domestic violence. The 2006 report states that many children are daily exposed to physical, sexual and psychological violence in their homes and schools, in the protection and justice systems, in the workplaces and in their communities, causing devastating consequences for their health and welfare.
The study reported that every day, in every country, girls and boys suffer and witness violence. Violence against children cuts across boundaries of culture, class, education, income and ethnic origin, and occurs in many different settings. Some of it is allowed by national laws and may be rooted in cultural, economic and social practices.
Recently, leaders of religious coordination bodies (RBCs) and national inter-religious councils/organisations in the Caribbean, representatives of Religions for Peace in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), as well as experts addressed the issue of violence against children at the Third Meeting of the Caribbean Inter-Religious Network – Religions for Peace and the Training Workshop for National Inter-Religious Councils in the Caribbean.Using the guide “From commitment to action: What religious communities can do to eliminate violence against children” as study material, participants were trained to identify the context or environment of the problem, analyse their causes, factors and consequences, define operational objectives and required actions, know available means, techniques and resources, and establish expected goals and achievements.
During her address, Vice-President of the Senate Lyndira Oudit said every act of violence against a child is an act against every human and spiritual law that governs us all. She said violence, especially against those unable to defend themselves must never bee seen as merely abstract or philosophical.
She noted that if we are to truly address the question of violence against children, there must be a connection between peace and the establishment of a protocol of peace and the connection between poverty, deprivation, violence and peace for all our human family, especially for children.
Oudit said; “For many, peace begins with food, water, shelter and health care. Violence often accompanies a lack of these essentials. For some people, peace begins with education and employment, very often violence is the result of inadequate or inappropriate learning. Peace is a safe home and loving hands that protect our children.”
She continued, “It is the right of our society to protect and support the common good; our children are our common good. We as pastors, imams, pundits and other religious leaders...we do have a God-given opportunity, a God-given responsibility to shape and fashion family life and above all the centre of family–the formation of our children.”
Oudit said as this country prepares itself to face significant global, economic and social changes, rapid technological and demographic restructuring, a new approach to societal violence is needed.
“We can no longer accept the idea of individualism, either of person or country. We are part of a global network that forces us towards active participation in generation solutions to problems that we, as global residents have created,” Oudit said.
She noted that religion is a crucial channel through which the cords of social need and social solution must pass.
First-vice president of the IRO and Anglican priest, Canon Knolly Clarke said prevalence of abuse and violence usually starts in the home. He noted, quoting from an Ashanti proverb that the ruin of a nation begins in the home. He went on to explain that family life is crucial to child development and formation.
Clarke said religious leaders were blessed with the opportunity to play an instrumental role in a child’s life until adulthood.
The study reported that every day, in every country, girls and boys suffer and witness violence. Violence against children cuts across boundaries of culture, class, education, income and ethnic origin, and occurs in many different settings. Some of it is allowed by national laws and may be rooted in cultural, economic and social practices.
Recently, leaders of religious coordination bodies (RBCs) and national inter-religious councils/organisations in the Caribbean, representatives of Religions for Peace in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), as well as experts addressed the issue of violence against children at the Third Meeting of the Caribbean Inter-Religious Network – Religions for Peace and the Training Workshop for National Inter-Religious Councils in the Caribbean.Using the guide “From commitment to action: What religious communities can do to eliminate violence against children” as study material, participants were trained to identify the context or environment of the problem, analyse their causes, factors and consequences, define operational objectives and required actions, know available means, techniques and resources, and establish expected goals and achievements.
During her address, Vice-President of the Senate Lyndira Oudit said every act of violence against a child is an act against every human and spiritual law that governs us all. She said violence, especially against those unable to defend themselves must never bee seen as merely abstract or philosophical.
She noted that if we are to truly address the question of violence against children, there must be a connection between peace and the establishment of a protocol of peace and the connection between poverty, deprivation, violence and peace for all our human family, especially for children.
Oudit said; “For many, peace begins with food, water, shelter and health care. Violence often accompanies a lack of these essentials. For some people, peace begins with education and employment, very often violence is the result of inadequate or inappropriate learning. Peace is a safe home and loving hands that protect our children.”
She continued, “It is the right of our society to protect and support the common good; our children are our common good. We as pastors, imams, pundits and other religious leaders...we do have a God-given opportunity, a God-given responsibility to shape and fashion family life and above all the centre of family–the formation of our children.”
Oudit said as this country prepares itself to face significant global, economic and social changes, rapid technological and demographic restructuring, a new approach to societal violence is needed.
“We can no longer accept the idea of individualism, either of person or country. We are part of a global network that forces us towards active participation in generation solutions to problems that we, as global residents have created,” Oudit said.
She noted that religion is a crucial channel through which the cords of social need and social solution must pass.
First-vice president of the IRO and Anglican priest, Canon Knolly Clarke said prevalence of abuse and violence usually starts in the home. He noted, quoting from an Ashanti proverb that the ruin of a nation begins in the home. He went on to explain that family life is crucial to child development and formation.
Clarke said religious leaders were blessed with the opportunity to play an instrumental role in a child’s life until adulthood.
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