AIUK AGM Resolution on Children's Rights

The 2009 AIUK AGM passed unanimously a resolution calling for the UK delegation to this year's ICM in Turkey to urge the international movement to give priority to children's rights in the 2011-2016 Integrated Strategic Plan.  It also asked for resources to be dedicated to children's human rights in the IS and in national sections, as at present there is not a single full time post on children's rights in the whole of AI.

The Spanish Section has put forward a resolution to the ICM calling for children's rights to be identified and prioritised in all campaigns and the New Zealand Section has contributed wording to this.  We know that Children's Rights Networks in Germany, France and Denmark as well as ourselves are seeking support for this at the ICM and it would be good to hear support from the membership as well as those who were at the AGM.

The key points made at the AGM were:

Children will form 60% of urban populations in the next 20 years

The UN set up a special investigation into children and violence and the report highlighted widespread violence suffered by a large number, including figures of 80%+ children who have suffered physical violence in the home or at school and 150 million girls and 73 million boys who were sexually abused in 2002.

Vulnerable and marginalised children fall outside most government and large NGO programmes which concentrate on primary education and health – in particular the following need priority support: child soldiers and children in conflict situations, child refugees, street children, children in conflict with the law, child labourers, trafficked and sexually exploited children.

Taking up children's issues will also help AI achieve two of its other key objectives – increasing the activism of youth, for children are especially motivated to help other children like themselves; and opening up AI support in the South, as it is easier usually to get support on children's rights as this is less controversial politically and 'gets AI's foot in the door.'

The 'Demand Dignity' campaign with emphasis on the rights of the poor will be an ideal vehicle for action on children's rights.

Further arguments for (and against) this resoltion welcome as I want to brief the AIUK delegation further this Spring before they leave for the ICM in the Summer.

 David Maidment:  AIUK Children's Rights Advisor