Children's rights: resources and organisations

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Description: "ECPAT is a network of organisations and individuals working together to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children. It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation... The ECPAT acronym stands for ' End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes'... ECPAT has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC)."
Source/publisher: ECPAT
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: The NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child is a coalition of international non-governmental organisations, which work together to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It was originally formed in 1983 when members of the NGO Group were actively involved in the drafting of the Convention. An organisational brochure is available [html format]. The NGO Group has a Liaison Unit that supports participation of the NGOs, particularly national coalitions, in the reporting precess to the Committee on the Rights of the Child as well as other activities to ensure the implementation of the Convention. One important area is the management of Alternative Reports that have been submitted to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (as per Article 45a). The NGO Group has the following aims: * To be an advocate on behalf of children by raising awareness about the Convention. * To promote and facilitate, through specific programmes and actions, the full implementation of the Convention. * To facilitate a flow of information between the Committee on the Rights of the Child, concerned United Nations bodies and the NGO community. * To facilitate co-operation and information sharing regarding the monitoring and implementation of the Convention within the NGO community. * To draw up policies and strategies and undertake action in fields covered by the Convention * To contribute to the monitoring work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. * To facilitate the creation and support the work of National Coalitions for the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Individual Documents

Description: "Yangon, 19 May, 2023 – Homes ripped apart, power poles blocking roads, and bridges completely washed away are the scenes of destruction caused by Cyclone Mocha, according to Save the Children. Humanitarian organisations and local communities are working around the clock on clean up and recovery efforts. Still, there are real risks that survivors may face secondary disasters, including waterborne diseases; and damage to food supplies has put thousands at risk of hunger. Maung Thein*, a resident of a displaced camp near the coastal area of Rakhine State, said: "A strong wind started to crack our roofs. Rain was pouring in from above. I heard voices shouting from far away through the roaring wind. We all were soaking wet." The cyclone subsided by 10 pm, but Maung Thein's* home was already destroyed by then. "With the tarpaulin sheets I kept before the storm, I built a temporary shelter where my whole family is staying now. I have one bag of rice left. No idea after it is all gone. Now, we share food as some households have nothing but only clothes they have on their bodies. The price of basic commodities has become very high at 1,000 kyats (0.5 USD) per egg which used to cost 200 kyats (0.1 USD). However, even with enough money, we can't purchase as much as we want, including medicines. No markets or shops are running at this moment." All 17 townships in Rakhine state have been declared emergency areas. Meanwhile, in Pauk Taw township and in the northwestern township of Magway, water and sanitation access sustained extensive damage. Hundreds of latrines and wells are either damaged or destroyed, severely compromising both townships' access to safe drinking water and hygiene practices. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports an urgent need for fuel for essential public services, including health and water treatment. Public infrastructure, including health clinics, food distribution centres and schools, are also damaged or destroyed, mainly caused by heavy rains and strong winds, which reached 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph) at the height of the storm. Casualties continue to be reported, though the exact numbers still have not been verified, as communications remain limited across the affected areas. Hassan Noor, Asia Regional Director at Save the Children, said: "This is one of the most powerful cyclones to hit Myanmar in decades, and the situation for children is likely to be chaotic and stressful. In addition to shelter, clean water, and food assistance, it is imperative we support children's health and wellbeing as part of our humanitarian response." "Currently, many roads are still inaccessible, but it is becoming clear that an enormous amount of support will be required in the coming days, and we must act quickly to limit the devastating impact caused to millions of families.” Save the Children and partners in Myanmar are delivering life-saving supplies, including food, clean water, health services, hygiene, and education kits as well as providing psychosocial support to children. ENDS Content available here Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes. For further enquiries please contact: Our media out of hours (BST) contact, [email protected] / +44(0)7831 650409 Diana Oberoi, Regional Media Manager for Asia (Bangkok): [email protected]; Emily Wight, Global Media Manager (London): [email protected] Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs..."
Source/publisher: Save the Children (London)
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "COX'S BAZAR, 5 March – Responding to the news that a massive fire swept across three Rohingya refugee camps Sunday afternoon in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, destroying several Save the Children facilities, Onno van Manen, Save the Children's Country Director in Bangladesh, said: "Just days after the World Food Programme announced it has been forced to cut food aid due to funding shortages, this devastating blaze is another tragedy to hit the Rohingya people who have endured unspeakable hardship for years. "Today's massive fire will have robbed many families of their safety and what little belongings they have left. This tragedy stands as another ghastly reminder that children stuck in the camps in Cox's Bazar face a bleak future. After nearly six years, they continue to grapple with inadequate education, concerning levels of malnutrition, stunting, child marriage and child labour. Despite relentless efforts of the humanitarian community, a refugee camp is no place for a child to grow up. "As the international community gathers in Geneva this week, they must not shirk their responsibility to do more to protect Rohingya refugees. They must fully fund the humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis, which is woefully underfunded. Food has already been reduced, maintenance and repairs have been neglected and without adequate funding, it is likely a catastrophe will unfold impacting refugees, the host community, Bangladesh and the region." Note to editors: Save the Children's teams are currently assessing the situation and ready to respond with emergency shelter, education, health and other essential services in coordination with other humanitarian organisations..."
Source/publisher: Save the Children (London)
2023-03-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-03-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Joint Statement by the UN Special Envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid The 1 February military takeover, led by the Commander in Chief of the Tatmadaw, halted Myanmar’s peaceful democratic transition and caused a violent ongoing multi-faceted crisis with grave impacts for children and their future. In the absence of peaceful and inclusive dialogue to end this situation, and the lack of unified international response, the United Nations continues to receive alarming reports of a growing number of children and youth seeking to join armed groups, while others have been displaced, detained, or are suffering. The abuse of children by all parties to the conflict in Myanmar has increased notably through the recruitment use and killing and maiming of children, in addition to ongoing attacks on schools and hospitals and protected personnel. The arbitrary detention of children is also a serious concern, while all children in Myanmar and those displaced by the fighting are experiencing various degrees of violence including mental and physical degradation. We urge all parties in Myanmar to immediately stop all child rights violations, retain, and enact domestic legislation criminalizing the six grave violations, promote all aspects of the Child Rights Law, and engage collectively in the protection of children from the ravages of conflict, including the prevention of their recruitment and use. The delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance for children in Myanmar has also been impaired by the crisis mainly through access and security constraints, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unrestricted humanitarian access to children must be granted through all existing channels in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The United Nations calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to protect children and to respect their responsibilities under international law. Children should never, under any circumstances, be recruited or used in hostilities. The prohibition of the six grave violations against children in armed conflict must guide prevention efforts in Myanmar. The desperate situation of children in Myanmar and those displaced in neighboring countries, in particular the Rohingya children in Bangladesh, demands greater attention from the international community as well as from regional actors. The protection of children’s rights should remain a key priority by all stakeholders across the globe. Violence against children including their use and abuse by parties to armed conflict in Myanmar must stop. The children of Myanmar have the right to no less..."
Source/publisher: Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar and Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
2021-10-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Responding to the latest escalation of violence in Myanmar, including harm done to children, Save the Children said: “Reports that children have been injured by the military, including in Northern Shan, should be met with sadness, outrage but also urgent action to better protect children across Myanmar. “We are particularly disturbed by the potential use of heavy weapons, which there have been signs of in recent weeks, which not only risk killing and injuring children, but can also destroy homes, civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals and displace entire communities. “This is in addition to the detention and abduction of children, which is also being reported. The children who have been killed, injured, displaced, and who have witnessed this violence are entitled to protection, but have instead become targets. “This incident, like many others which have taken place over recent weeks and months, is evidence of a deepening crisis in Myanmar. Not only have Myanmar children had to contend with multiple waves of COVID-19 over the last 18 months, but violent incidents affecting large numbers of children have continued to rage across the country. “The military coup and subsequent humanitarian crisis continue to fundamentally threaten children’s human rights. With the education and health systems failing, food security deteriorating and the economy in freefall, urgent steps are required to bring peace, stability and safety into Myanmar children’s lives – especially the most vulnerable and those who have been displaced. “Ultimately, to prevent violations against children all those involved in clashes and violence must take proactive steps to respect and uphold children’s rights. This goes beyond avoiding civilian casualties, and includes measures to get children back into education, to provide unimpeded humanitarian access, and to support children with the mental health and psychosocial impact of this complex crisis. Myanmar children have shown incredible strength and resilience, but cannot be expected to keep carrying such a heavy load. “As such, with our local partners, Save the Children is prioritising a response which focuses on reinstating as much learning as possible, provides food assistance to those who need it the most, and supports children with their mental and physical health and wellbeing. As we have done since 1995, we will continue to do our utmost for and with Myanmar children in compliance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, independence, impartiality and neutrality.”..."
Source/publisher: Save the Children (London)
2021-10-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "(CNN) - Five-year-old Su Htet Waing often wakes up crying for her mother and older sister. Hiding in the mosquito-infested jungles of Myanmar in a makeshift tent with her father, her young world has been torn apart. "I want to sleep with mummy, but the police have taken her," she said in an audio clip recorded by her father, Soe Htay, on his phone and sent to CNN in early August. Soe Htay was one of the early leaders of the pro-democracy movement against the military which overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in a coup in February. He says his family is now paying the price for his activism. His wife and teenage daughter remain behind bars, and his youngest daughter says she was forced into a half sitting, half standing pose during the 18 days she was in detention -- a stress position that the United Nations Committee Against Torture views as a form of torture. The military has not responded to CNN's detailed emails and texts about the girl's detention and treatment. Soe Htay, left, and his daughter Su Htet Waing. But Soe Htay and his daughter are not alone. In the months since the coup, the junta has waged a bloody campaign against its opponents, shooting dead protesters in the street and detaining thousands of doctors, activists, journalists, artists -- anyone it deems an enemy. Sometimes, the junta isn't able to find its opponents. And increasingly, the military is going after another group of people to sow fear among the population and make them fall in line: the family members of dissidents, according to Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar. "It's just horrific, it's horrific, it's outrageous, it's completely unacceptable and the international community should be up in arms," he said. "That's the brutal reality we're facing in this country and most importantly that the people of the Myanmar are facing." Cracking down on protests After the military took over, Soe Htay took to the streets in protest. And, like thousands of others in the country opposed to the takeover, Soe Htay became a target of the military junta. In June, months after he had stopped protesting for fear of being shot by the military, soldiers came to his home in Myanmar's central Mogok city to arrest him, Soe Htay told CNN from his jungle hideout. They raided his house four times, but he had already gone into hiding with his two sons, he said, leaving his immediate family behind. On the final visit in June, they arrested his wife and two daughters instead. "This is a hostage-arrest," he said. "Since they arrested my family when they couldn't arrest me ... my youngest daughter wasn't even 5 yet." Su Htet Waing spent 18 days in detention. Su Htet Waing spent her fifth birthday in detention, said Soe Htay. She was let out on June 30 after 18 days as part of a mass prisoner release. Her mother and sister remain behind bars, sentenced to three years in prison, Soe Htay said. Local media reported the pair were charged with incitement -- a common punishment leveled at pro-democracy activists. While Su Htet Waing was detained she was forced into the half-sitting, half-standing position, which caused her "mental trauma," said Soe Htay. Andrews, the UN special rapporteur, said he has heard of many similar cases of children being brutally punished for the political views of their parents in the months since the military junta took control. "The stress position is outrageous," he said. "I have seen reports of children being beaten, reports of children, of iron rods burning their legs, I've seen them detained for several days ... I'm speechless and outraged and truly angry at what despicable behavior we're seeing." The United Nations Committee Against Torture views stress positions as contrary to the Convention Against Torture. Innocent hostages Khaing Zin Thaw also tried to fight against the junta -- and like Soe Htay, it's her family that is paying the price. Khaing Zin Thaw's parents were arrested in April. She says they haven't done anything wrong. The 21-year-old used her role as a social media influencer to raise money for the Civil Disobedience Movement, which saw thousands of people leave their jobs to destabilize the coup and economy. She helped collect donations for those who had lost their jobs and were struggling to get by. Khaing Zin Thaw also made posts supporting the movement on Facebook, where she has about 700,000 followers. But that soon put her onto the radar of the military. Shortly after February's coup, she left home for safety and has been moving constantly ever since within Myanmar. But in April she got an alarming phone call. "One of my friends called me and told me there were military trucks outside my house. They called back half an hour later and said your parents have been arrested," she said. Her parents have done nothing wrong, she said, her voice wavering. Her father does not even know how to use Facebook. Her sister-in-law was also taken in her place, Khaing Zin Thaw said, but has since been released. "I heard that my father has been tortured and has not asked for his medication ... sometimes, my mind goes blank and I feel like I am losing my mind," she said, adding that both her parents have been charged with incitement. The military has not responded to CNN's detailed requests for comment. Taking 'hostages' At least 182 people, including children, have been detained in place of their family members since the coup -- and 141 of them remain in detention, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). The group characterizes these arrests as hostage taking, and stresses the military's actions are in violation of international law. According to AAPP, when children are taken into detention, they are not sent to prisons, such as the notorious Insein where thousands of pro-democracy protesters are held. Instead, they are sent to interrogation centers, police custody, military barracks or junta administration offices. "The children who are detained as hostage are placed in the same cells as their family. But exact details inside detention are difficult to confirm," AAPP said in a written interview. "As far as we know, hostages are not being mixed with other pro-democracy detentions." AAPP said because the junta is making this distinction, it "clearly understands what it is doing is hostage taking." The group warns the practice is likely to increase. Myanmar has been brought to the edge of collapse since the coup, with the junta waging a bloody campaign against nationwide protests and strikes. The economy is in tatters, and a deadly Covid-19 wave is devastating the nation. Civilian insurgencies in the cities and border regions have declared a people's war on the military, with local militias carrying out guerrilla-style attacks on military forces. "(Hostage taking) is a strategy by the junta to inflict 'worry', it is part of the junta's wider campaign of terror waged against the population," the group said. "(It) will only get worse as the junta is increasingly losing on the front lines, with attacks in the cities like Yangon and Mandalay also escalating." The future The practice of detaining relatives is aimed at suppressing dissent, but it doesn't appear to be working. Far away from her happy childhood at their family home, little Su Htet Waing spends her days with her father, exposed to Myanmar's monsoon season, mosquitoes, and the risk of disease. Su Htet Waing is in hiding in Myanmar's jungles. Soe Htay says he believes the military is still hunting for him so he has to stay in a makeshift tent in the jungle. His daughter has her backpack ready in case they have to run again. He is determined to continue the fight for democracy in any way he can, despite his seemingly desperate situation. Soe Htay has been told by friends in the pro-democracy movement, who trickle information out of the prisons and during prisoner releases, that his daughter and wife were separated since their sentencing. He's also been told his daughter caught Covid-19, but has since recovered. "The way I see it," he said. "Their sorrow will only be healed after the revolution ... my only thought is to root out the dictatorship, for now I have to bury my bitterness and hatred in the revolution." Khaing Zin Thaw said she is now in "a safe place" but has to continue moving for fear of being tracked down by the military. "I am sad and dejected, and I am frustrated as I can't do anything for my parents in jail," she said..."
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Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
2021-09-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-09-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Students are attending classes while local schools remain closed due to armed conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Description: "Teachers who joined Myanmar’s civil disobedience movement following the military coup in February have set up a school for children displaced by conflict in a temporary camp in a rebel army-controlled area of eastern Kayah state near the Thai border. The internally displaced persons (IDP) camp where the school is located hosts more than 1,000 civilians, mostly ethnic Karennis, who fled their homes to escape fighting between the Myanmar military and Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) troops since May. The KNDF is a new network of civilian resistance fighters that includes existing ethnic armed groups in the state and Karenni organizations. Violent clashes between rebel and junta forces erupted in Kayah state’s Loikaw, Demoso, and Shadaw townships after the military coup on Feb. 1 overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Some 100,000 residents have fled their homes amid fighting in the state, taking shelter in Buddhist monasteries or in nearby hills and jungles. The Education Department of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the dominant ethnic political organization in the state, opened the school to provide uninterrupted instruction to the children, said Hsu Bu Rel, the department’s vice minister. Children displaced by the conflict have not been able to attend classes for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, which hit Myanmar in March 2020 and now is in its third wave. They then lost a second year of education because of political unrest in the country, Hsu Bu Rel said. “We want the IDP children in our camp to have an opportunity for schooling,” he told RFA. “In addition, this school gives us opportunities to learn from the CDM [civil disobedience movement] teachers and to try out the new curriculum and teaching methods of the Karenni Education Department. For security reasons, RFA is identifying the location of the camp school only as being in a KNPP-controlled area near the Thai border in Kayah state. School principal Hla Moe Myint said more funding is needed for educational materials for the IDP children, school buildings, and additional teachers. “Teachers can perform fully only if they have these materials in hand,” she said. “There are so many needs. Besides, we want to set up a library as they [the teachers] have expected. We have difficulties in fulfilling their needs.” Teacher Hsu Khu Rel said the school serves students from grades one through 11 and uses both a national curriculum and a new one created by the Karenni Education Department. Another teacher named Josephine said many educators from government schools, who walked out of work to join the CDM protests against the junta and fled arrest in their hometowns have joined the school. “They have different teaching methods and a different schooling system,” she said, pointing to the teachers’ more sophisticated grading system that makes it tougher for students to pass tests because it is not based on traditional rote learning. About 265 students had enrolled in the IDP camp school by the end of June, though additional ones were incoming, teachers said. Eighth-grader Cherry Phaw said she was pleased to continue her education at the school. “For more than two years I couldn’t go to school,” she told RFA. “We were on the run whenever there was fighting, so I couldn’t go to school. I am grateful to the teachers for enabling me to learn in school. I am happy here.” Thoe Mel, the parent of students who attend classes at the school, said she is glad that she could enroll her children in school at a time when other schools across the country are closed because of ongoing crackdowns by the military regime and the COVID-19 pandemic. “My children haven’t gone to school for two years,” she said. “I am so happy now they are going to school. I am very optimistic.”..."
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Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
2021-08-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Su Htet Waing was arrested with her mother and sister when authorities failed to detain her activist father.
Description: "A five-year-old girl whose father helped organize protests against Myanmar’s junta was forced to endure stress positions during more than two weeks in detention, according to her father, making her what observers say was the country’s youngest known political prisoner under the military regime that seized power in February. On June 13, security forces in Mandalay region raided the home of Soe Htay, a local activist who had led demonstrations in Mogok city against the junta following its Feb. 1 takeover of Myanmar’s democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government. Soe Htay had already gone into hiding with his two sons, and when authorities failed to locate him, they arrested his wife Nan Kyi Kyi Khine and their daughters Theint Sandi Soe, a 17-year-old third-year law student, and Su Htet Waing, a five-year-old girl. Arresting relatives of wanted protesters has been a common practice. The protests Soe Htay had organized in Mogok were part of a nationwide backlash against the military following its coup, which it said was necessary because the NLD’s landslide victory in the country’s November 2020 elections was the result of widespread voter fraud. Regime leaders have yet to produce any evidence of their claims, while soldiers have violently cracked down on the demonstrations. According to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has killed 898 people and arrested 5,127 in connection with the anti-junta protests. Of those, 2,269—including Su Htet Waing—were freed from prisons across the country as part of a general amnesty on June 30, although observers say the release was little more than a stunt by the military to gain international recognition. Soe Htay, who was reunited with Su Htet Waing and remains in hiding, recently told RFA’s Myanmar Service that his daughter was left “traumatized” because of the poor treatment she was subjected to during her 18 days in detention. He said Su Htet Waing told him that she and others were regularly forced to assume the “ponzan” posture—a half-sitting, half-standing stress position—during roll call, and that she “hated the people” who ordered her to do it. Su Htet Waing “knows nothing about politics” and had only called for the release of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with several other party officials shortly after the military takeover, Soe Htay said. “She doesn’t understand the politics we were discussing,” the NLD member and leader of the Mogok Township Peace and Open Society told RFA. Soe Htay said he recently learned from staff at the Mogok Prison that his older daughter is enduring “serious health problems” while she remains in detention. He said that he has had no direct contact with his family members since the day of their arrest. “My eldest daughter was on medication, suffering from rheumatism when she was arrested. On the day of her arrest, she was taken away with the only clothing she had on, and she didn’t have any of her medicine,” he said. “She had to kneel down, handcuffed, on the concrete floor for two or three hours during questioning … and now she is in critical condition, according to what a friend in the prison told me.” Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun for comment on the arrest of Soe Htay’s family members went unanswered Friday. ‘Illegal’ detention Speaking to RFA this week, lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said arresting a five-year-old is “illegal.” “Even if children under the age of 18 commit crimes, they are not allowed to go to jail. They are not allowed to be held behind bars,” he said. “Arresting a five-year-old is totally unlawful. It’s a violation of human rights, too. There is nothing this military regime wouldn’t hesitate to do if their hold on power was threatened. Not even children will be spared.” Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe, Minister for Women, Youth and Children for Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG), said Su Htet Waing will be recorded as the youngest political prisoner under the military regime. “Such arrests constitute war crimes and those responsible must be held accountable,” she said. “This arrest and detention are a violation of childrens’ rights and the law. The child is too young and can be left deeply traumatized. We are working with professional counselors.” Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe also condemned what she called “hostage-taking” by the junta, adding that by NUG’s count there are around 80 minors currently in detention. Soe Htay told RFA he is determined to fight to the end against the military, even though his family has been arrested. “I am determined to root out this dictatorship,” he said. “I see the suffering of my daughters and wife as a sacrifice to this revolution. It is from these feelings that I get the strength to fight for a speedy end to the revolution.”..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
2021-07-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar’s junta continues to detain the 7-year-old son of the former head of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program, despite recently releasing more than 2,200 political detainees including 5-year-old Ma Su Thet Wyne, the country’s youngest detainee at the time of her release. Maung Aung Thukhamein Lin, 7, was arrested by junta forces along with his mother, Daw Htar Htar Lin, the national immunization director at the Ministry of Health and Sports, and father, U Nyi Nyi Aung, at their home in Yangon on June 10. During the arrest, Dr. Aye Aye Nyein, who is a friend of the national immunization director, and her daughter were also taken into custody. On June 12, junta-controlled media said Dr. Htar Htar Lin formed the Civil Disobedience Movement’s (CDM) core group and assisted the National Unity Government (NUG), which has been designated a terrorist group by the junta. The junta also said the doctor would be prosecuted under Article 17 of the Unlawful Association Act and Article 505(a) of the Penal Code for communicating with the “terrorist organization” and working with Dr. Zaw Wai Soe, who is in hiding and serves as the acting health minister in the NUG. The military regime on Wednesday released more than 2,200 political detainees including Ma Su Thet Wyne, who was detained with her mother and sister as hostages after junta forces failed to find her father, Ko Soe Htay, a leader of anti-regime protests in Mandalay Region’s Mogoke town. However, the whereabouts of Dr. Htar Htar Lin’s family and her friend’s family are still unknown. The 7-year-old son of the doctor has not been released yet. A doctor who is close with Dr. Htar Htar Lin said, “The boy is very clever. His pet dog is also detained with him. This is unacceptable, as it has been 21 days. I pray for the urgent release of the boy.” Another friend of Dr. Htar Htar Lin said, “Detaining the innocent boy means that the military regime is committing a worse crime. Please, speak out for the immediate release of the boy.” The friend added, “He has been in custody for three weeks. How many of this child’s rights have been violated? We don’t dare imagine the boy’s trauma.” Meanwhile, the youngest detainee, Ma Su Htet Wyne, who was released on Wednesday, has been traumatized by her arrest, her father Ko Soe Htay said on his Facebook account on Thursday. On Thursday, the girl and her father had to move to another location as the junta’s forces are hunting them. Ko Soe Htay said, “She told me she had not had enough meals in custody and that she had to bathe in toilet water.” The 5-year-old girl was detained for more than two weeks with her mother and sister. Junta forces abducted them as hostages after failing to find Ko Soe Htay at their home. The father is on a list of those for whom arrest warrants have been issued by the junta on incitement charges for organizing anti-regime demonstrations..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2021-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: A JOINT STATEMENT BY SAVE THE CHILDREN, UNESCO AND UNICEF
Description: "Over 12 million children and young people in Myanmar have not had access to organised learning for more than a year. The consequences for their education, personal development, psychological wellbeing and future opportunities are already profound and will continue to grow. Children in the poorest and most remote communities will likely be most affected. All children and young people have the right to access education and parents have a right to choose the kind of education their children will receive. Children’s best interests must be central to decision-making about education. And it is essential to ensure that students, teachers and staff are consulted, respected and safe to learn and teach on their own terms, and with dignity. Attacks on places of learning and education staff and the occupation of education facilities are unacceptable. They must be protected from conflict and unrest – these are places where children should be safe and empowered to learn and develop. In the era of COVID-19, keeping places of learning safe also requires the rigorous application of prevention and control measures. The risks associated with COVID-19 are still high, and it is important to do everything possible to prevent further spread of the disease. Providing psychosocial support and care will be essential if students and teachers are to be able to focus on learning. Teaching and learning will need to be adapted to compensate for the extended period of lost learning and there will be an ongoing need for supplementary and flexible learning approaches. Keeping places of learning safe at all times, and ensuring continuity of learning, must be a priority for Myanmar. The lack of access to a safe, quality education threatens to create an entire generation in Myanmar which will miss out on the opportunity to learn. This is something which we cannot and must not accept. For further information, please contact: Shima Islam, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, Bangkok, [email protected] UNESCO Regional Bureau, Bangkok, [email protected] Charlotte Rose, [email protected] , Save the Children Asia Regional Office (available during BST office hours)..."
Source/publisher: Save the Children, UNESCO, UNICEF via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2021-05-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "UNICEF is aware of media reports alleging that UNICEF-supplied soap bars and cloth masks have been used by local militias to recruit civilians in Kachin state. UNICEF is highly concerned about these reports of unauthorised use of UNICEF-provided supplies and is urgently investigating. UNICEF supplies, including soap bars and masks, are distributed for the express purpose of promoting the health and wellbeing of children and the use of these supplies for any other purpose is unacceptable. UNICEF works with local and international NGO partners in Kachin State to distribute large volumes of critical supplies throughout Kachin State and across Myanmar, reaching hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country. UNICEF has strict protocols in place to ensure that supplies reach the intended beneficiaries and reports of misappropriation or misuse are rare. UNICEF is investigating the current reports and will take appropriate action in response..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Myanmar)
2021-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Children in Myanmar urgently need support now
Description: "The crisis following the military takeover on 1 February this year is having a catastrophic toll on the physical and mental wellbeing of children in Myanmar. Children are being killed, wounded, detained and exposed to tear gas and stun grenades and are witnessing terrifying scenes of violence. In some areas, thousands of people have been displaced, cutting children off from their relatives, friends, communities and their traditional means of support. Even before the current crisis, children in Myanmar were experiencing huge challenges due to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict in several parts of the country. Over one million people, including an estimated 450,000 children, were already affected by Myanmar’s conflict and vulnerable to gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse, detention, family separation, displacement and trafficking,[1] and about 34 per cent of the country’s 17 million children lived below the poverty line. In addition, almost 33 per cent of the population living just above the poverty line were in a state of extreme vulnerability and are now at great risk of falling back into poverty due to economic disruptions resulting from the current crisis[2]......A generation in peril: The compounding impacts of the current crisis threaten the lives and wellbeing of millions of children, putting an entire generation in peril. The ongoing loss of access to key services, combined with economic contraction, will push many more into poverty, potentially creating an entire generation of children and young people who will suffer profound physical, psychological, educational and economic impacts from this crisis and be denied a healthy, prosperous future. Hard-won gains in the area of child rights are now being wiped out, threatening children’s lives, wellbeing and prosperity. This represents a serious failure by duty bearers to protect, promote and fulfil the rights of children, as required by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Myanmar is a State Party, and the Myanmar Child Rights Law, issued in 2019.....UNICEF’s response: UNICEF is committed to children in Myanmar, to upholding children’s rights and to providing the services critical for children’s survival and wellbeing. UNICEF is adapting the way it works and taking advantage of its extensive and diverse network of partners, including national and international non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and private sector partners, striving to ensure continuity of access to critical services at scale. Drawing on its 70 years of experience in Myanmar, delivering for children including in times of conflict and crisis, UNICEF is able to continue to reach children in need even in the most challenging situations. UNICEF brings strong capacity to mobilize and deliver at scale, coordinating the efforts of multiple partners to achieve coherent approaches that span across the country. In addition to its coordinating role, UNICEF brings strong capacities in direct implementation of programming and efficient and cost-effective procurement and transport of commodities and supply. As always, UNICEF’s focus is particularly on reaching the most vulnerable children including the poorest children, children with disabilities, children living in camps for displaced people, migrant and refugee children and those in hard-to-reach areas, now including areas of key cities, including Yangon and Mandalay, which are under martial law.....Keeping children safe: Before the current crisis, it was already a major challenge to keep children safe from violence, abuse and exploitation in Myanmar. Between January and September 2020, 49 children were killed and 134 maimed as a direct result of conflict. During the current crisis, many more children have been killed, seriously injured, arbitrarily detained without access to legal counsel or forced to flee their houses and communities. On top of the loss of innocent lives, the daily exposure to scenes of horrific violence will have long-lasting impacts on children’s mental and emotional well-being.....How UNICEF is responding: Working with legal aid providers, UNICEF supports children and young people’s access to justice across the country. UNICEF has supported children and young people in contact with the law to access quality legal aid, including legal advice, legal consultation, and legal representation. Since February 1, UNICEF has supported 62 children and 176 young people to access quality legal aid. Working with partners, UNICEF is establishing a nationwide toll-free justice hotline, expanding on already existing helpline numbers operated by several partners to ensure children and young people have timely access to quality legal advice. We are also producing informational materials for children and young people to know about their rights when dealing with the law enforcement and how to access free legal assistance in both English and Myanmar languages. Materials are being disseminated widely in collaboration with Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) members. UNICEF is working with national organizations to support a nationwide mental health and psychosocial support helpline, ensuring children are able to access counselling and mental health support in several local languages. UNICEF also support referrals of child survivors of abuse and violence to mental health experts for individual counselling and therapy sessions. UNICEF is currently working on setting up psychosocial peer-support groups for adolescents and young people. UNICEF is supporting efforts to monitor and report grave child rights violations and reporting these violations to United Nations and other bodies that pursue justice.....Keeping children out of extreme poverty: A UNICEF study carried out before the military takeover estimated that COVID-19 could push a further one third of children into poverty on top of the almost one third of children already living in poor households. The current crisis has the potential to force millions more children into poverty, denying them the ability to access basic services, depriving them of opportunities to fulfil their potential, and putting them at even greater risk of abuse and exploitation.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF has established mechanisms to monitor how the current crisis is impacting children, particularly children in families which have lost their income, whose caregivers are detained and those who are unable to access learning or healthcare. Data and evidence generated through this monitoring work will inform UNICEF’s efforts to protect children from the worst impacts of poverty. UNICEF is coordinating with relevant partners to design, establish and roll out a national child cash grant scheme, through which families with children between the ages of 2-5 and children aged under 5 with disabilities will receive unconditional cash grants, which can be used to supplement family incomes and pay for access to key services. UNICEF is working with Common Health, a private company, to roll out mobile-based health micro-insurance, ensuring that all children in Myanmar under the age of 6 have are covered by health insurance and are able to access health care.....Keeping children learning: COVID-19 had already disrupted the learning of almost 12 million children and young people. With the ongoing closure of schools due to COVID-19 preventive measures, children are still being denied access to learning, destroying their aspirations and hopes for a better future. Many will never be able to catch up or get another chance.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF is working with national and international NGOs to scale up home-based learning using high quality educational materials. We are supporting young children’s readiness for learning and language development by training civil society organization partners, including ethnic language teachers, and developing and printing storybooks in ethnic languages. UNICEF is working with national and international NGOs to provide alternative learning opportunities for primary and middle-school-age children. Support includes providing learning materials and assisting children with learning and language development, while also offering mental health and psychosocial support. We are working with national and international NGOs to deliver non-formal education for children who were out of the formal education system even prior to the COVID pandemic.....Keeping children healthy: Since the military takeover, health workers have experienced threats, intimidation and violence, putting them in danger and further increasing their reluctance to provide services. With health services seriously disrupted, children are missing out: almost 1 million children are missing out on routine immunization; almost 5 million children are missing out on vitamin A supplementation, putting them at risk of infections and blindness. There is a risk that the spread of COVID-19 will accelerate. In addition, access to water, sanitation and hygiene services are facing disruptions due to limited availability of supplies, disruption of transportation and banking channels. Across the country, more than three million children lack access to a safe water supply at home, threatening a large-scale outbreak of diarrhoea which could be fatal, particularly for children under the age of 5.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF is working with partners to support emergency care through supply of first aid kits and essential medicines for children most in need of medical care While routine immunization has been suspended in the largest part of the country, in Non-Government Controlled areas UNICEF is working with partners to carry out routine vaccinations to prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles, diphtheria and polio. We are developing smartphone apps to train health workers on provision of trauma and emergency care for women and children. UNICEF is providing pregnant women, new mothers, newborns, children and adolescents with healthcare services and procuring essential medicines and supplies to save lives and treat diseases. We are working with partners and the private sector to coordinate and explore options for delivery of clean drinking water to vulnerable households in urban areas. We are also coordinating with communities in Shan and Magway to deliver supplies for community managed water supply.....Keeping children nourished: Before the current crisis, many children in Myanmar were already experiencing malnutrition, with almost 30 per cent pre-school children experiencing stunting (being too short for their age), 7 percent of pre-school children (In Rakhine 14 percent) experiencing wasting (being seriously low for their height) and 57 percent pregnant women experiencing anaemia. Loss of access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, which can lead to diarrhoeal disease, will further exacerbate the situation. The situation is particularly severe for young children under the age of 2, who are at risk of death or irreversible physical and cognitive delays if they suffer undernutrition for an extended period. The impacts – for the children, their families, communities and the country as a whole – may be devastating.....How UNICEF is responding: In Kachin, Rakhine and northern Shan states, UNICEF is working with partners to screen and treat children with severe acute malnutrition. We are providing lifesaving micro-nutrient supplements to children and pregnant women. UNICEF is working with local NGOs to provide mothers advice on infant and young child feeding. In all these efforts, UNICEF and its partners are determined not to let down the children of Myanmar at this critical time, when their lives, wellbeing and future are at stake..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Myanmar)
2021-04-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Contributions, Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Topic: Contributions, Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Description: "Highlights: • Artillery shelling and indiscriminate airstrikes by armed forces in Kayin State caused more than 20,000 civilians to flee and hide in forest areas along the Myanmar-Thailand border. • New displacements are reported in Kachin State, northern Shan State and Bago region. On a single day.9 April, 82 civilians were killed in Bago region, and tens of thousands of people were displaced. • Provision of health, education and other critical services continue to be disrupted in many parts of the country. Protests and a civil disobedience movement (CDM) against the military takeover continue. • Since the events of 1 February, a significant decline in the number of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths has been observed. COVID-19 vaccination is currently being managed by the de facto authorities without any clear prioritization by age or associated risk factors. Even before, nearly one million people in five states, including 336,000 IDPs, needed humanitarian assistance. • There are additional needs for areas falling outside of Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) areas, especially in the Yangon, Mandalay and Bago regions..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Myanmar) via Reliefweb (New York)
2021-04-40
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: 35 children killed by security forces in less than two months
Description: "Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore: NEW YORK, 28 March 2021 – “An 11-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl, two 13-year-old boys, a 13-year-old girl, three 16-year-old boys and two seventeen-year old boys, all reportedly shot and killed. A one-year-old baby girl gravely injured after being struck in the eye with a rubber bullet. These were the latest child casualties on the bloodiest day in Myanmar since the military takeover on 1 February. “In less than two months, at least 35 children have allegedly been killed, countless others seriously injured and almost 1,000 children and young people reported arbitrarily detained by security forces across the country. Millions of children and young people have been directly or indirectly exposed to traumatizing scenes of violence, threatening their mental health and emotional wellbeing. “I am appalled by the indiscriminate killing, including of children, taking place in Myanmar and by the failure of security forces to exercise restraint and ensure children’s safety. As the Secretary-General just said, those responsible for these actions, which undoubtedly constitute egregious child rights violations, must be held accountable. “In addition to the immediate impacts of the violence, the longer-term consequences of the crisis for the country’s children could be catastrophic. “Already, the delivery of critical services for children has ground to a halt: Almost 1 million children are without access to key vaccines; almost 5 million are missing out on vitamin A supplementation; nearly 12 million risk losing another year of learning; more than 40,000 children are without treatment for severe acute malnutrition; close to 280,000 vulnerable mothers and children will lose access to cash transfers which are their lifeline and more than a quarter million children will lose access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services. “This loss of access to key services, combined with economic contraction which will push many more into poverty, puts an entire generation of children and young people in peril. They are already at risk of suffering profound physical, psychological, emotional, educational and economic impacts, potentially denying them a healthy, prosperous future. “Security forces must immediately refrain from perpetrating abuses of child rights and ensure the security and safety of children at all times. Security forces should cease the occupation of education facilities. They must also protect all essential workers – including health workers and teachers – providing vital services for children and families. “UNICEF’s commitment to children in Myanmar remains unwavering. After 70 years in the country, reaching all children including Rohingya and those from other minority groups with lifesaving services in times of conflict and crisis remains a top priority. “We must not to let down the children of Myanmar at this critical time, when their lives, wellbeing and future are at stake. We will always stand firmly by their side.”..."
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Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (New York)
2021-03-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: UNICEF Myanmar Statement
Description: "YANGON, 9 February 2021 – UNICEF expresses deep concern regarding the impact of the ongoing crisis in Myanmar on children’s wellbeing and reminds all actors of their obligations to uphold all children’s rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Myanmar is a State Party, and under the Myanmar Child Rights Law enacted in July 2019. These rights include the rights to protection, participation, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. They also include freedom from unlawful or arbitrary detention or separation from parents. In crisis situations, children are often disproportionally affected, and it is essential that all actors uphold the best interests of the child, one of the core principles of the CRC, as a primary consideration. In the context of ongoing demonstrations and current events, and reports of injuries, some potentially fatal, UNICEF calls on all actors, including security forces, to exercise the utmost restraint, to resolve differences through constructive and peaceful means, and to prioritize the protection and safety of children and young people as they express their opinions.....ရန်ကုန်မြို့၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၉ ရက်၊ ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ် – ယူနီဆက်အနေဖြင့် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတွင် ဖြစ်ပွားလျှက်ရှိသော ပဋိပက္ခအခြေအနေများကြောင့် ကလေးသူငယ်များ၏ ကောင်းကျိုးချမ်းသာအပေါ် ထိခိုက်လာမည်ကို လွန်စွာစိုးရိမ်ပူပန်လျှက်ရှိပြီး သက်ဆိုင်ရာ တာဝန်ရှိသူအဖွဲ့အစည်းများအနေဖြင့် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံမှ ပါဝင်သဘောတူလက်မှတ်ရေးထိုးထားသည့်ကလေးသူငယ်အခွင့်အရေးများဆိုင်ရာ ကုလသမဂ္ဂသဘောတူစာချုပ် (CRC) ပြဌါန်းချက်များ နှင့် ၂၀၁၉ ခုနှစ် ဇူလိုင်လ တွင်ပြဌါန်းခဲ့သည့် ကလေးသူငယ်အခွင့်အရေးများဆိုင်ရာဥပဒေ ပြဌါန်းချက်များနှင့်အညီ ကလေးသူငယ်များ၏ အခွင့်အရေးများအားလုံးကို လေးစားလိုက်နာကြပါရန် သတိပေးလိုပါသည်။ ဤအခွင့်အရေးများတွင် ကလေးသူငယ်များအနေဖြင့် ကာကွယ်စောင့်ရှောက်မှုခံယူပိုင်ခွင့်၊ ပါဝင်ဆောင်ရွက်ခွင့်၊ ငြိမ်းချမ်းစွာ စုဝေးခွင့်နှင့် လွတ်လပ်စွာထုတ်ဖော်ပြသပိုင်ခွင့်တို့ ပါဝင်ပါသည်။ တရားဥပဒေနှင့်မညီသော သို့မဟုတ် မတရား ဖမ်းဆီး ထိန်းသိမ်းခံရမှုများ သို့မဟုတ် မိဘများနှင့် ဝေးကွာစေခြင်းများကို မပြုလုပ်ရန်လည်း ပါဝင်ပါသည်။ ပဋိပက္ခကာလများအတွင်းတွင် ကလေးသူငယ်များမှာ မကြာခဏအားဖြင့် အထိခိုက်ခံရဆုံးသူများဖြစ်ကြပြီး သက်ဆိုင်သူများအားလုံးအနေဖြင့် CRC ၏ အဓိကကျသော အခြေခံမူများမှတစ်ခုဖြစ်သည့် ကလေးသူငယ်များ၏ အကောင်းဆုံးအကျိုးစီးပွားကို အဓိကဦးစားပေးအဖြစ် ထည့်သွင်းစဉ်းစားပြီး ထိန်းသိမ်းစောင့်ရှောက်ကြရန် အထူးပင် အရေးကြီးလှပါသည်။ လက်ရှိဖြစ်ပွားနေသည့် ဆန္ဒပြမှုများတွင် ထိခိုက်ဒဏ်ရာရရှိမှုများဖြစ်ပေါ်နေပြီး အလွန်ပြင်းထန်ကြောင်းလည်းသိရသည့်အတွက် သက်ဆိုင်သူများအားလုံးသည် ကွဲလွဲမှုများကို အပြုသဘောဆောင်ပြီး ငြိမ်းချမ်းသောနည်းလမ်းများဖြင့် ဖြေရှင်းကြပါရန်နှင့် ကလေးသူငယ်များနှင့် လူငယ်များက ၎င်းတို့၏ သဘောထားများကို ထုတ်ဖော်ပြသသည့်အခါ ၎င်းတို့ကို ကာကွယ်ပေးရေးနှင့် ဘေးကင်းလုံခြုံရေးကို ဦးစားပေးရန်အတွက် အထူးထိန်းသိမ်းဆောင်ရွက်ကြပါရန် တောင်းဆိုလိုပါသည်။ အဓိကတာဝန်ရှိသည့် မိဘများနှင့် စောင့်ရှောက်သူများအနေဖြင့်လည်း ကလေးများ၏ ဘေးကင်းလုံခြုံရေးကို အမြဲထည့်သွင်းစဉ်းစားပြီး ကလေးများ ဘေးအန္တရာယ်ကင်းဝေးစေရေးအတွက် သင့်လျော်သောလုပ်ဆောင်မှုများကို လုပ်ဆောင်ထားကြရန် လိုအပ်ပါသည်။..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (New York)
2021-02-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Hundreds rallied in Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon on Monday to protest the release by police officials of the identity of a child-rape victim known to the public as Victoria, demanding that authorities take action against the officers exposing her identity. The toddler nicknamed Victoria was two years and 11 months old when she was allegedly assaulted on May 16 at the private Wisdom Hill School in Zabuthiri township of Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw. On July 14, police arrested 29-year-old Aung Kyaw Myo, a driver at the school who goes by the name Aung Gyi, charging him with rape based on the school’s CCTV video footage, an identification by the victim, and the presence of semen on his underwear. Speaking at a press conference on Dec. 19, senior police officers Police Major General Aung Naing Thu, Police Brigadier General Soe Naing, Police Brigadier General Min Han, and Police Colonel Thar Htoon for the first time named the child victim in the case, later posting further information about the young girl and her family on the police department’s official Facebook page..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
2019-12-23
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "In response to displacement due to fighting in northern Rakhine State, UNICEF distributed hygiene supplies to 287 people (82 households) in Buthidaung township, including 115 children, in October. In addition, two needs identification missions were completed in partnership with UNHCR, UNFPA and Malteser International. Security issues blocked access to several locations. • The Child Protection sub-sector organized a workshop to update child protection referral pathways in northern Shan State as well as a training on protection, GBV, child protection and gender in WASH activities was held for 23 representatives of “first responders” from civil society organizations. An estimated 20,750 people were displaced between January to August 2019 in northern Shan State. • UNICEF assisted the Shan State Government to finalize the Climatecentered Disaster Preparedness Strategy for the state which covers profile (geographic, hazards, environmental, social, economic, etc); vulnerability and capacity; risk mapping; State-level Disaster Management Committees; stakeholder mapping; and prioritized activities for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and resilience building..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2019-11-25
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 412.94 KB (5 pages)
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Description: "• Coverage of basic health services and measles immunization significantly increased in both Kachin and Shan States in September. A total of 10,360 people (5,201 females; 5,159 males) accessed basic health care services, 614 per cent of the monthly target, and 601 children 9-18 months (282 girls; 319 boys) or 178 per cent of the target were vaccinated against measles through UNICEF support. • Child Protection and Education sections in Rakhine State provided a “training of trainers” to 30 Township Education Officers and four Township Social Welfare Officers in 10 townships, which will be further “cascaded” to a total of 600 teachers in October. Each teacher will then provide psycho-social and explosive ordinance risk awareness sessions in their schools reaching an estimated 64,000 children. • The WASH Cluster, supported by UNICEF, supported Training in Data Management and Analysis through Excel in Myitkyina, Kachin to 35 participants including Government staff and local NGOs as part of a national programme to build the capacity of all WASH stakeholders. • UNICEF and our partner trained 45 child protection staff in Rakhine State on the reporting and monitoring mechanism for the six Grave Violations..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) via Reliefweb
2019-09-30
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar has ratified the so-called “child soldier treaty”, the Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday. Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin presented Myanmar’s Instrument of Ratification of the treaty—formally known as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (CRC-OPAC)—to the UN secretary general during the UN Treaty Event of 2019 at the world body’s headquarters in New York on Sept. 27, the ministry said. The instrument was presented via the chief of the UN Office of Legal Affairs. “The significance of this protocol is that while it bars the states from using children under the age of 18 for military purposes, it also requires states to make sure all armed groups distinct from [state] armed forces ensure there is no military use of children under the age of 18,” said U Aung Myo Min, director of Equality Myanmar. The protocol was adopted by the UN General Assembly on May 25, 2000 and entered into force on Feb. 12, 2002. Myanmar is the 169th country to ratify the protocol. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the ratification as a further significant step toward the protection of child rights..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2019-10-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Virginia Gamba, congratulates the Government of Myanmar for ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC). Myanmar’s Union Minister for International Cooperation, His Excellency Mr. U Kyaw Tin, deposited the accession instrument during a ceremony that took place on the margins of the 74th General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. “The international engagement taken today by the Government of Myanmar to better protect its children is a welcome step. It is a commitment to put in place all the necessary measures to protect them from recruitment and use by both its armed forces and armed groups active in the country”, said Virginia Gamba. Provisions on the demobilization and reintegration of all children under 18 and children presumed present in the ranks of Myanmar’s armed forces are also included in OPAC, a commitment already under implementation through the Security Council-mandated Joint Action Plan signed with the United Nations in 2012. The Special Representative calls on the Government of Myanmar to swiftly translate this commitment into tangible measures for the protection of boys and girls and to end and prevent all six grave violations against children, including the killing and maiming of children and rape and other forms of sexual violence..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2019-09-30
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Brave Zu Zu Mi, 10, fled her village after fighting broke out. On her terrifying journey, she protected her siblings as they walked for three days before reaching a camp. Her hope is to become a teacher one day, but access to formal education for displaced children in camps is limited. Unresolved conflict, poverty and under-development are preventing children, like Zu Zu Mi, in remote parts of Myanmar from benefiting from the reform and peace efforts by the government. Investing in children can help steer Myanmar move towards a more prosperous and stable future. All children, from every community, should benefit from the country’s reform and development..."
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Source/publisher: "UNICEF"
2017-05-23
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Child rights monitoring: Evidence underpins all of UNICEF’s work, and our long and productive relationship with Myanmar positions us to support the Government’s efforts to build robust national data systems that reveal the situation of children. UNICEF analyses draw out important findings on children that support our advocacy for initiatives in health, education, water and sanitation. Importantly, UNICEF’s technical assistance supports the Government to create baselines and measure progress related to targets for children in the Sustainable Development Goals. Improving social protection: In Myanmar, many people, including children, struggle to access social services. UNICEF places a priority on supporting national plans to expand the social protection system, so all children are included. In 2014, Myanmar launched the National Social Protection Strategic Plan, with eight flagship programmes that aim to promote human and socioeconomic development, strengthen resilience to cope with disasters, enable productive investments, and improve social cohesion. With UNICEF and partners’ support, the Government has undertaken an important step towards its implementation with an expanding Maternal and Child Cash Transfer scheme. In 2018, the programme helped boost child and maternal health among 100,000 pregnant women, and children under age two. UNICEF is a lead partner and has been providing full technical and capacity support in the scheme’s design as well as its monitoring and evaluation, including through use of a Management Information System..."
Source/publisher: "Reliefweb" via UNICEF
2019-08-16
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: Echoing the concerns of UN organisations regarding the escalation of violence and civilian casualties in Rakhine State, UNICEF Myanmar is deeply concerned about reports of killing of children as a result of direct targeting and indirect actions (crossfire, landmines, cluster munitions, improvised explosive devices or other indiscriminate explosive devices), detention and mistreatment of children, as well as the use of schools for military purposes, since the conflict between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army intensified in recent months. Killing and maiming of children is a grave violation of children’s rights. Civilian infrastructures such as schools and hospitals are not places for the military. Their presence puts children, teachers, doctors and other service providers at risk. UNICEF urges all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of children caught up in conflict, and to uphold their right to protection from all forms of violence at all times. UNICEF calls for children to have access to psychosocial support and mine risk education in schools and communities in all conflict-affected areas. We also call on all parties to protect civilian facilities against the impact of conflict. UNICEF is working with partners to provide assistance to all children in need as quickly as possible, wherever possible. Along with providing life-saving services, UNICEF has pre-positioned essential learning packages, school kits, and recreational kits in UNICEF and Government warehouses in Rakhine State. UNICEF is also working with partners across Rakhine State to provide much-needed counselling, psychosocial support, and information on the risks of mines to thousands of children, youth and caregivers affected by the conflict. But we need unfettered and predictable access in order to scale up our work so that all children across Rakhine, receive the life-saving assistance, education, care and special protection they need.
Source/publisher: UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)
2019-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2019-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "More than half of over 700,000 Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh since August 25, 2017 are children A new research has revealed that about 32% of Rohingya children, aged between six and 59 months, who arrived in Bangladesh after August 2017 are chronically undernourished, while another 13% are acutely undernourished. The study also found that 36% of Rohingya children in the same age group who took refuge in different Cox’s Bazar refugee camps before August 2017 are chronically undernourished, while another 12% are acutely undernourished. The report was launched at a workshop on forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh, organized by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), at a Dhaka hotel on Thursday. BIDS conducted the study jointly with the International Food Policy Research Institution (IFPRI) last October. The report was presented by researchers Mohammad Younus and Binayak Sen of BIDS, and Paul Dorosh of IFPRI. Rohingya children’s nutritional status improved between 2017 and 2018, but their undernourishment remains unacceptably high due to poor maternal nutrition and hygiene conditions in the camps, the report revealed. Speaking at the programme as the chief guest, Planning Minister Abdul Mannan said although the Bangladesh government’s performance in most cases is criticized, its role in tackling the Rohingyas has been largely commended in the international arena. “The Rohingyas are actually not in good condition,” said the minister..."
Creator/author: Md Saidun Nabi
Source/publisher: Dhaka Tribune
2019-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2019-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: List of organisations working on children's rights
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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