Sensitive Social problems affecting children are indications that the rights of the child is being violated

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University of the West Indies

Department of Educational Studies

Dominica

ED20X:  Issues and Perspectives in Education

August 22nd 2006

06006622

Question # 6

Some sensitive social problems/issues affecting children are indications that the rights of children are being violated.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Literature Review

Methodology

Discussion of Findings/Implications

Recommendation

Appendix

Bibliography

Introduction

In Western societies, children are recognized as potential citizens with rights and duties but deserving special protection because of their vulnerability.  According to the New International Webster Dictionary, ‘a child is a human being who is below the age of eighteen.  This is further supported by the United Nations Conventions on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) which defines a child as ‘a person under the age of eighteen unless national law recognizes the age of majority earlier.

Children in many societies face a variety of problems which unfortunately may map the course that their future development may take.  These social sensitive issues/problems include child abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional), homosexuality, racial discrimination and HIV/AIDS. These issues are called sensitive because they have the very undesirable effects on the individuals not to mention the fact that they rather be ‘swept under the carpet’ than be dealt with openly.  These issues are not always easy to talk about and persons are hesitant to report, discuss or even deal with them because of the mixed feelings and reactions that they tend to effect.

 These social problems have provoked a succession of reforms that are the foundation of our present child protection services including Governmental Organizations such as the Welfare Department and Non-Governmental Organizations such as Christian Children Fund (CCF) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).  Although these child protection services exist, children continue to suffer at the hands of adults, including those who should have their best interest at heart.  
There are many instances in which the law attempts to deal with the dangers affecting children or the dangers to which they may be exposed to.  The Conventions on the Rights of the Child is one such law.  It is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights—civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.  

In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under 18 years old often need special care and protection that adults do not. The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. Article 19 of the UNCRC declares that “States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.”

There is a global cry on behalf of children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 40 million children around the world suffer from abuse and neglect (UNICEF 2000b).  According to estimates from the UNAIDS/WHO Global Report (May 2006), around 36.3 million adults and 2.3 million children were living with HIV at the end of 2005. 

Every day educators are confronted with these sensitive social issues in the classroom and it is imperative that they are knowledgeable of the impact that these issues can have on the lives of the children.  Hence the researcher hopes that this research paper will give educators an insight into the social sensitive issues which plague the society and help them see how it impacts on education.  The researcher also hopes that the data collected and analyzed in this paper and the findings and recommendations made will serve as a resource base which can be used to make proper judgments as to the way forward for children facing these issues/problems and educators who have to deal with them.

Literature Review

  • Child  Sexual Abuse
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Homosexuality
  • Racism

Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse is a significant public health problem in the United States and across the world. In the United States one out of three females and one out of five males have been victims of sexual abuse before the age of 18 years. Sexual abuse occurs across all ethnic/racial, socioeconomic, and religious groups. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is considered a relatively common experience in the lives of children. A report released by the National Institute of Justice in 1997 revealed that of the 22.3 million children between the ages of 12 and 17 years in the United States, 1.8 million were victims of a serious sexual assault/abuse. Most recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 40 million children around the world suffer from abuse and neglect (UNICEF 2000b).   In the Caribbean, 48 per cent of females and 32 per cent of males between the ages of 10 and 25 reported forced sexual initiation (UNICEF).

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 There are gender differences with regard to sexual abuse incidents; specifically, girls are at twice the risk than boys for sexual victimization throughout childhood and at eight times the risk during adolescence. Because significant physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral problems are related to childhood trauma, the need to more effectively address the issue has become paramount.

Child sexual abuse occurs when a child is used for sexual purposes by an adult or adolescent. It involves exposing a child to any sexual activity or behaviour. Sexual abuse most often involves fondling and may include inviting a child to touch or ...

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