As
the world marks Universal Children’s Day - the anniversary of the UN
Convention of the Rights of the Child - UNICEF is urging a much stronger
light be shone on the millions of children in every country and at
every level of society who are victims of violence and abuse that
continue to go unnoticed and under-reported.
The UN Convention,
adopted in 1989, became the first legally binding international
convention to affirm human rights for all children. It specifies that
every child, everywhere, has the right to survive, grow and be protected
from all forms of violence.
Among the many initiatives that have
grown up around this observance is an interfaith World Day of Prayer and
Action for Children, celebrated in many countries on November 20th.
The idea, pioneered by a Japanese Buddhist organization in 2008, has
been taken up by many faith communities in different parts of the world
in order to raise greater awareness about the protection of children’s
rights.
“As
we know, so much violence happens in the shadows so UNICEF is joining
forces with other partners to say no to violence … and we have to speak
up louder and act on any kind of violence against children….”