Download PDF - Violence Against Children - East Asia and the ...

Sri Lanka
“I spoke to a group of children who were
around 12 years old and asked them of their
dreams. They said they wanted to be Catholic
priests and nuns. When I asked why, they said
‘because these are the only people we have
seen who don’t use or support violence’.”
While this is a powerful expression of
children’s desire for peace (and a credit to
the priests and nuns), it is also indicative of
the way prolonged violent conflict shapes
children’s dreams for the future.
• Access to communities in the North and
North-East of the country has been difficult
because of changing security. Managing
involvement in a changing environment is
difficult.
• Development NGOs increasingly need to
incorporate monitoring on child protection
in areas of recent conflict where the
principal entry point is through relief, not
development efforts. Monitoring on issues
of access to food security, health and
shelter is needed, but at the same time
there is a need to look at levels of violence
still present in-community and ways to
promote safer ways to deal with tension.
• Ineffectiveness of government institutions
needs to be addressed. Reform in
government institutions is needed in Sri
Lanka to support the growing awareness
among community members about
improved responses to child protection.
This is something that NGOs can follow up
with the United Nations, as it is part of the
UN’s role to strengthen institutions. World
Vision has an opportunity to have input
from our fieldwork into this process, and
also through following up the
Government’s action in response to the
UNGASS on Children and the Second
World Congress against the Commercial
Sexual Exploitation of Children.
• Other areas to monitor include police and
social service responses to reported cases
of child abuse.
• Lack of documentation is a barrier. The
non-government sector is involved in some
exciting, innovative and effective work to
promote the protection of children. The
effect of this could be improved with
documenting its impact and content,
weighing its impact over time, “going to
scale” (extending successful local activities
to maximise benefits in other geographical
areas), gaining financial support for
innovative work, and building capacity of
local staff and counterparts.
“World Vision needs to be a voice on and behalf
of children. If not, we become isolated from
need and our focus on the child.”
– Mr. Yu Hwa Li, National Director
• Increased advocacy is needed. Key areas
for advocacy are children affected by
armed conflict (including former child
soldiers), education, and health. Increased
monitoring and evaluation of existing work
can contribute significantly to advocacy.
Further research initiatives can enable
NGOs to lead a process in the interests
of children as well as participate in
broader campaigns.
• The effect of poverty on the development
of children is a barrier. Poor living
conditions experienced by children are an
ongoing concern. UN Habitat’s research 7
shows improved social indicators such as
sleep patterns, health and participation in
school are linked to improved housing –
not only more living space, but access to
open space and improved sanitation.
• Partnerships are highlighted as an
important strategy in working to achieve a
safer world for children. Opportunities
exist for child-focused NGOs to partner
with a range of groups and to be at the
table when critical issues are being
discussed. But the resources need to be
committed if meaningful links are to be
established and partnership given the
priority it deserves.
7
Interview with Tony Seneviratne, National Director, Habitat for Humanity, Sri Lanka
74