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SAVE THE
CHILDREN BELIEVES THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO A CHILDHOOD. Fundamental to that right is the right to live life free from violence. Save the Children's roots stem from this issue. We came into being to help refugee and displaced children in Europe in the aftermath of the First World War. We remain concerned about the direct effects of violence and the long-term impact on children who experience and witness violence of all kinds. Children's lives are affected by violence in many ways: they may be bullied or not feel safe to walk the streets; they may be sexually exploited; war may cause them to be separated from their families; they may be forced to fight adults' wars and become child soldiers. We oppose violence of any sort against children - physical or mental. It breeds a culture in which victims can become perpetrators and the brutalised become desensitised. It violates children's basic human rights to survival, development and protection as enshrined in international law. WHAT TYPE OF WORLD DO WE WANT TO SEE FOR CHILDREN? • there are more than 300,000 child soldiers under the age of 18 in the world today. We believe that the recruitment and participation of children below the age of 18 in armed conflict must stop. The new International Criminal Court must put on trial those who recruit children into armed forces. Children must be given alternative opportunities and children who have had to fight must be given the chance to be reintegrated back into everyday life. • children who have been separated from their families during conflict should be reunited where possible with relatives in their own communities rather than placed in children's homes. • children living in conflict should be given the chance to learn and play so their lives regain some normality. • children are more often the victims than perpetrators of violence. However, they often become violent as a result of being victims of violence. • we oppose the physical punishment of children and work with parents to find non-violent ways to resolve tensions. • to break the cycle of violence, we must commit ourselves as a society to preventing it in the first place. This means tackling the root causes of violence, such as poverty. These are lofty ambitions. However, by working together we can achieve a better world for children. We urge you to join us to help 'Save the Children from Violence'. We can only achieve our aims with your help. Please read the following case studies of the children which give you an idea of the range of ways children's lives are affected by violence and conflict and what Save the Children is doing to help ensure that every child has the right to a childhood. For further information, or if you want to get involved any SC campaign, please contact: The Campaigns Unit Save the Children 1 St. John's Lane London EC1M 4AR |
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