Editorial
The World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence is a significant initiative by the United Nations to raise global awareness and action on this serious and widespread problem that affects millions of children every year. The World Day, which was proclaimed by the General Assembly resolution A/RES/77/81 on 7 November 2022, is observed annually on 18 November. It aims to eliminate all forms of child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence, both online and offline, and to enhance the protection of children and to bring perpetrators of exploitation and abuse to justice.
It also aims to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of child victims and survivors in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child while addressing weaknesses in protection systems.
The day also strives to ensure that the views of children are heard, that their perspective is taken into consideration during the course of reparation and that they receive various forms of reparation, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-recurrence. The day further calls for to address the root causes of child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence, such as rising inequalities, deepening poverty, and structural discrimination on intersecting grounds, and to implement the range of goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development relevant to ending exploitation, abuse, trafficking, torture and all forms of violence against children, as well as eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, which place children at risk of experiencing child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence.
Please, subscribe to the monthly magazines of republicpolicy.com
The World Day is also an opportunity to highlight the evidence-based strategies and interventions that can prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence and to share the best practices and lessons learned from different countries and regions. Therefore, strengthening child protection systems to reduce violence against children, such as enacting and enforcing laws, providing safe and accessible reporting mechanisms, and delivering quality services for children and families, is essential. It is also important to promote positive parenting and caregiving practices, such as providing parent education programmes, supporting families at risk, and preventing violent discipline and maltreatment. Furthermore, enhancing the resilience and life skills of children and adolescents, such as providing comprehensive sexuality education, empowering girls and boys to express their views and participate in decision-making, and fostering positive peer relationships and social norms, is vital.
It is also critical to address the drivers and risk factors of child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence, such as reducing poverty and inequality, combating gender-based violence and discrimination, and preventing and responding to conflicts and humanitarian emergencies. Then, increasing the awareness and capacity of professionals and communities, such as training health care providers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement officers, and religious leaders, and engaging civil society organizations, media, and the private sector to prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence is vital. Furthermore, it is vital to provide an empathetic and child-friendly response to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused, such as ensuring their safety, confidentiality, and consent and offering them medical, psychological, and legal support.
The day also highlights the implementation of trauma-informed and survivor-centred approaches to healing and justice, such as providing individualized and holistic care, respecting the dignity and autonomy of survivors, and ensuring their access to effective remedies and reparations. The spirit of the day also calls for strengthening the coordination and collaboration among different sectors and stakeholders, such as establishing multidisciplinary teams, referral networks, and case management systems, and fostering partnerships among government, civil society, and international organizations. Therefore, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and impact of prevention and response interventions, such as collecting and analyzing data, conducting research and assessments, and disseminating and applying the findings and recommendations, is paramount.
Lastly, the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence is a call for action for all actors and sectors to join forces and work together to end this grave violation of children’s rights and dignity and to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment, free from violence and harm. Therefore, Pakistan must also implement the spirit, cause and execution of the day.
Please, subscribe to the YouTube channel of republicpolicy.com
