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Call to Action to #ENDviolence against Children and Adolescents with Disabilities We call to end violence against children and adolescents with disabilities in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Articles 19, 2 and 23), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Article 16) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) (especially Target 16.2), which all highlight the right to protection from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. WHY TO #ENDviolence ? |
#ENDviolence
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1. Children and adolescents with disabilities are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience physical and sexual violence and neglect than children without disabilities.[1] To end violence against children by 2030, we need to count all children under SDG target 16.2, including those with disabilities.
2. Children and adolescents with disabilities are at significantly increased risk of experiencing sexual violence: up to 68% of girls and 30% of boys[2] with intellectual or developmental disabilities will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.[3] To end sexual violence against children and adolescents with disabilities we need to:
a. Include children with disabilities in national child protection laws, systems and policies, in line with international and regional human rights law.
b. Invest in free, accessible and high-quality services that prevent and respond to sexual violence against children with disabilities.
c. Address the stigma and discrimination that may prevent children with disabilities who have experienced sexual violence, from accessing services and redress.
d. Ensure safe, anonymous and accountable complaint and reporting mechanisms for all children, including those with disabilities to report abuse.
3. Children with disabilities are up to 17 times more likely to live in an institution than their peers without disabilities. The risk of violence, neglect and abuse in institutions and orphanages is much higher than when living in a family environment at home or in the community.[4] It is urgent to end the institutionalisation of children by supporting families and providing inclusive community-level services particularly in health, education and social protection. It is crucial to implement the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, including the development of standards and training for all caregivers.
4. For every child killed in conflict, three acquire a permanent injury or disability.[5] In the aftermath of disasters, children with disabilities are more likely to become separated from their carers and are extremely vulnerable to violence, exploitation and sexual abuse. Child protection responses in emergencies need to be fully inclusive of children with disabilities to ensure that no child is left behind.[6]
5. Despite being one of the most vulnerable groups, infants, children and adolescents with disabilities are often excluded and invisible from data collected on violence. Every study related to violence against children should include children with disabilities to make them visible and data should be disaggregated by disability, age and gender.
6. Adolescents and young persons with disabilities face more barriers to the enjoyment of their sexual and reproductive health rights than those without disabilities. They are more subject to sexual violence and abuse,[7] and they also have a significantly higher risk of forced sterilization and coercive family planning methods,[8] or are wrongly assumed to be sexually inactive.[9] On the other hand, they are less likely to receive appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and services.[10] To prevent this, efforts should be directed at:
a. Raising awareness among families, caregivers and health personnel of the rights of adolescents and young persons with disabilities to a life free of sexual abuse.
b. Access to counselling and the emergency contraception when necessary.
c. Access to sexuality education.
d. Foster the participation of adolescents with disabilities in the design and implementation of strategies to increase the inclusion of young persons with disabilities in social protection programs.
HOW to #ENDviolence?
To #ENDviolence against children with disabilities UNICEF, UNFPA, the SRSG on Violence against Children, GPcwd, IDA, Global Partnership to End Violence against children, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, and other partners call on all governments, donors, international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector and foundations to join together and take coordinated actions to deliver on commitments for the protection of the rights of children and adolescents with disabilities. This is how we can #ENDviolence:
2. Children and adolescents with disabilities are at significantly increased risk of experiencing sexual violence: up to 68% of girls and 30% of boys[2] with intellectual or developmental disabilities will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.[3] To end sexual violence against children and adolescents with disabilities we need to:
a. Include children with disabilities in national child protection laws, systems and policies, in line with international and regional human rights law.
b. Invest in free, accessible and high-quality services that prevent and respond to sexual violence against children with disabilities.
c. Address the stigma and discrimination that may prevent children with disabilities who have experienced sexual violence, from accessing services and redress.
d. Ensure safe, anonymous and accountable complaint and reporting mechanisms for all children, including those with disabilities to report abuse.
3. Children with disabilities are up to 17 times more likely to live in an institution than their peers without disabilities. The risk of violence, neglect and abuse in institutions and orphanages is much higher than when living in a family environment at home or in the community.[4] It is urgent to end the institutionalisation of children by supporting families and providing inclusive community-level services particularly in health, education and social protection. It is crucial to implement the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, including the development of standards and training for all caregivers.
4. For every child killed in conflict, three acquire a permanent injury or disability.[5] In the aftermath of disasters, children with disabilities are more likely to become separated from their carers and are extremely vulnerable to violence, exploitation and sexual abuse. Child protection responses in emergencies need to be fully inclusive of children with disabilities to ensure that no child is left behind.[6]
5. Despite being one of the most vulnerable groups, infants, children and adolescents with disabilities are often excluded and invisible from data collected on violence. Every study related to violence against children should include children with disabilities to make them visible and data should be disaggregated by disability, age and gender.
6. Adolescents and young persons with disabilities face more barriers to the enjoyment of their sexual and reproductive health rights than those without disabilities. They are more subject to sexual violence and abuse,[7] and they also have a significantly higher risk of forced sterilization and coercive family planning methods,[8] or are wrongly assumed to be sexually inactive.[9] On the other hand, they are less likely to receive appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and services.[10] To prevent this, efforts should be directed at:
a. Raising awareness among families, caregivers and health personnel of the rights of adolescents and young persons with disabilities to a life free of sexual abuse.
b. Access to counselling and the emergency contraception when necessary.
c. Access to sexuality education.
d. Foster the participation of adolescents with disabilities in the design and implementation of strategies to increase the inclusion of young persons with disabilities in social protection programs.
HOW to #ENDviolence?
To #ENDviolence against children with disabilities UNICEF, UNFPA, the SRSG on Violence against Children, GPcwd, IDA, Global Partnership to End Violence against children, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, and other partners call on all governments, donors, international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector and foundations to join together and take coordinated actions to deliver on commitments for the protection of the rights of children and adolescents with disabilities. This is how we can #ENDviolence:
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UN agencies and other multilateral and bilateral agencies commit to:
1. Build political will to invest in sustainable policies and programs that prevent and address violence, abuse and neglect against children with disabilities, including in humanitarian contexts. 2. Promote and invest in the inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities in studies and data collection efforts on violence, abuse and neglect against children. 3. Mobilize financial and technical support to ensure countries are able to implement inclusive child protection services and end harmful practices against children and adolescents with disabilities. 4. Develop and sustain campaigns to raise awareness of and to end violence against children and adolescents with disabilities and influence policymakers on regional, national and international levels to do the same. 5. Consult with children and adolescents with disabilities and their families to inform inclusive child protection frameworks, policies and programs. 6. Cooperate with humanitarian and disability sector actors to ensure that child protection in emergencies mechanisms and interventions are inclusive of and accessible to children and adolescents with disabilities |
Governments and local child protection authorities commit to:
7. Ensure that children and adolescents with disabilities are included in all laws, policies, programs, budgets and systems that protect children from violence, abuse and neglect. 8. Include children and adolescents with disabilities in all child protection national surveys and other monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Gather disability disaggregated data to inform child protection policies, programs, budgets and systems for children. 9. Invest in free, accessible and high-quality services that prevent and respond to sexual violence against children and adolescents with disabilities. 10. Work with Disabled Peoples’ Organizations, civil society partners and the media to prevent and combat stigma and discrimination and to promote a society free from violence against children, including those with disabilities. 11. End the institutionalization of all children including those with disabilities to reduce vulnerability to abuse, neglect and other forms of violence. 12. Ensure safe, anonymous and accountable complaint and reporting mechanisms for all children, including those with disabilities, to report abuse. 13. Educate and inform children and adolescents with disabilities about their rights and about how to secure their protection and identify and avoid abusive behavior. |
Non-governmental, civil society organizations and private sector commit to:
14. Advocate with and support the capacity building of families, educators, health workers, governmental officials, civil society and the law enforcement and judiciary actors to proactively identify protection risks, as well as prevent and/or respond to violence, abuse and neglect of children and adolescents with disabilities. 15. Advocate for data collection efforts on violence, abuse and neglect against children to include children and adolescents with disabilities by disaggregating data by disability, age and gender, and use this data to inform the planning of initiatives to prevent violence, abuse and neglect. 16. Together with families and communities, advocate for and work with the media to prevent and combat stigma and discrimination and to promote a society free from violence against children and adolescents, including those with disabilities. 17. Advocate for the meaningful participation of children and adolescents with disabilities, as well as of their families, in consultations, planning, implementation and evaluation of inclusive protection programs. 18. Advocate for and support the development of disability-inclusive child protection responses in emergencies to protect and increase the resilience of children and adolescents with disabilities living in humanitarian contexts. |
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References
[1] Jones, L., Bellis, M.A., Wood, S., Hughes, K., McCoy, E., Eckley, L., Bates, G., Mikton, C., Shakespeare, T., Officer, A. (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. The Lancet, Vol. 380, No. 9845.
[2] Frohmader, C. (2002) There is no justice - THERE'S JUST US, The Status of Women with disabilities in Australia, Women With Disabilities Australia. WWDA, Canberra
[3] OECD. Recommendations: Save the Children and Handicap International (2011). Out from the shadows. Sexual violence against children with disabilities. Available at: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/out_of_the_shadows_5.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[4] UNICEF (2012) Children under the age of three in formal care in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, p.45. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/UNICEF_Report_Children_Under_3_FINAL.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[5] Pearn, J. H. (2000). The cost of war: Child injury and death. In Z. A. Bhutta (Ed.), Contemporary Issues in Childhood Diarrhoea and Malnutrition 1st ed. (pp. 334-343) Pakistan: Oxford University Press.
[6] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2003). Sexual and gender based violence against refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons: guidelines for prevention and response. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/3f696bcc4.html. Retrieved: 30 November 2015. .
[7] UNICEF (2005). Violence against Children with disabilities: UN Secretary General’s Report on Violence against Children. Thematic Group on Violence against Children with disabilities. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/UNICEF_Violence_Against_Disabled_Children_Report_Distributed_Version.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[8] UNFPA (2007) Emerging issues: sexual and reproductive health of persons with disabilities. New York: UNFPA
[9] World Bank/Yale (2004) Global Survey on AIDS and Disability. Washington DC: World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Healthand-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdf
[10] Groce, N. (2005). HIV/AIDS and Individuals with Disability: Findings from the World Bank/Yale Global Survey. Health and Human Rights, 8(2), 215-224; Hanass-Hancock, J. (2009) Disability and HIV/AIDS – a systematic review of literature on Africa. Journal of the International AIDS Society. Nov 13;2(1)..
References
[1] Jones, L., Bellis, M.A., Wood, S., Hughes, K., McCoy, E., Eckley, L., Bates, G., Mikton, C., Shakespeare, T., Officer, A. (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. The Lancet, Vol. 380, No. 9845.
[2] Frohmader, C. (2002) There is no justice - THERE'S JUST US, The Status of Women with disabilities in Australia, Women With Disabilities Australia. WWDA, Canberra
[3] OECD. Recommendations: Save the Children and Handicap International (2011). Out from the shadows. Sexual violence against children with disabilities. Available at: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/out_of_the_shadows_5.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[4] UNICEF (2012) Children under the age of three in formal care in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, p.45. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/UNICEF_Report_Children_Under_3_FINAL.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[5] Pearn, J. H. (2000). The cost of war: Child injury and death. In Z. A. Bhutta (Ed.), Contemporary Issues in Childhood Diarrhoea and Malnutrition 1st ed. (pp. 334-343) Pakistan: Oxford University Press.
[6] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2003). Sexual and gender based violence against refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons: guidelines for prevention and response. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/3f696bcc4.html. Retrieved: 30 November 2015. .
[7] UNICEF (2005). Violence against Children with disabilities: UN Secretary General’s Report on Violence against Children. Thematic Group on Violence against Children with disabilities. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/UNICEF_Violence_Against_Disabled_Children_Report_Distributed_Version.pdf. Retrieved: 30 November 2015.
[8] UNFPA (2007) Emerging issues: sexual and reproductive health of persons with disabilities. New York: UNFPA
[9] World Bank/Yale (2004) Global Survey on AIDS and Disability. Washington DC: World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Healthand-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdf
[10] Groce, N. (2005). HIV/AIDS and Individuals with Disability: Findings from the World Bank/Yale Global Survey. Health and Human Rights, 8(2), 215-224; Hanass-Hancock, J. (2009) Disability and HIV/AIDS – a systematic review of literature on Africa. Journal of the International AIDS Society. Nov 13;2(1)..
