Focus on Stamps 04/2005 - Die Schweizerische Post

Special Stamps pro juventute
Give every child a chance
The pro juventute stamps are again
devoted to the Rights of the Child,
continuing the theme of the last two
years. Following the “Right to leisure
and play” and the “Right to education”,
the 2005 stamps highlight the
principle that “All children are equal”.
In its daily work, pro juventute
implements numerous local and
national projects and services to
ensure that these Rights of the Child
are put into effect.
Although Switzerland is a wealthy
country, the people here are not immune
to poverty. The poverty rate of gainfully
employed households is over 4.5 percent.
A large number of children and young
people feel the effects as they do not
have the same chances and opportunities
as children from wealthy backgrounds.
Here, too, with its assistance for individuals
and families, pro juventute provides
important and efficient support, pro-
Making friends is easy at play
8
viding funds, for instance, for a child
to attend a school camp or to buy a
bicycle to get to school faster. The pro
juventute holiday fund gives low-income
families the chance to go on holiday
for a few days.
The gap between rich and poor is only
one aspect of many inequalities. Poor
performance at school, appearance or
ethnic origin can give rise to hostility and
lead to social isolation. So that children
and young people do not have to face
their cares and fears alone, the telephone
help-line 147 with its professional
counsellors is available for them 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year.
The same service has also been available
for over a year now on the Internet
platform www.tschau.ch which is
directed by pro juventute. The importance
of these contact points for children
and young people is reflected in the
Continued on page 10
Article 2 of the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child
1. States Parties shall respect and
ensure the rights set forth in the
present Convention to each child
within their jurisdiction without
discrimination of any kind, irrespective
of the child’s or his or her parent’s
or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other
opinion, national, ethnic or social
origin, property, disability, birth or
other status.
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate
measures to ensure that the
child is protected against all forms of
discrimination or punishment on the
basis of the status, activities, expressed
opinions, or beliefs of the child’s
parents, legal guardians, or family
members.
CHF 0.85+0.40
Encounter
Getting to know different cultures
and customs expands horizons and
lessens prejudices and conflicts.
Little children are models for adults
because they are not biased against
strangers.
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Play
Differences are quickly forgotten
when children play together. Boys or
girls, rich or poor – in happy moments,
everybody is the same.