UN talks bid to end violence against girls in schools
A delegation of girls from around the globe is to join United Nations talks on how to tackle violence and discrimination against girls and women.
New evidence uncovered by Plan’s Learn Without Fear campaign has highlighted how violence against girls in schools and continued abuse outside has continuing impact throughout their lives, is a barrier to their education and undermines their earning potential.
Plan is hosting a side-event on this topic attended by Marta Santos Pais, UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children and representatives from the Swedish and Canadian governments, USAID and UNICEF. This will review recommendations and progress made by the UN five years ago and discuss ways forward.
Plan is calling upon governments to:
- Outlaw all forms of violence against children in schools and all forms of gender based violence; laws must be consistent with Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Ensure that all legal frameworks and national policies, action plans and reporting systems, addressing violence in schools and gender based violence, are effectively implemented.
- Include within education budgets provision for proven interventions such as reducing class sizes, increased teacher training, and welfare and health support mechanisms.
- Push for greater accountability by instituting an International Day of the Girl where all parties can review progress on the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations on the theme of violence and discrimination against the girl child
- An International Day of the Girl is also being called to bring more focus on issues of violence and discrimination against girls.
The fifty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from Tuesday, 22 February to Friday, 4 March 2011.
The picture shows, Professor Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, author of the UN publication 'World Report on Violence Against Children' talking at a global conference calling for the elimination of violence against children, organised by Plan.
Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from Tuesday, 22 February to Friday, 4 March 2011.The picture shows, Professor Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, author of the UN publication 'World Report on Violence Against Children' talking at a global conference calling for the elimination of violence against children, organised by Plan.
