Child abuse & neglect

According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child a child is "every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child majority is attained earlier".

All forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power (WHO, 1999; forthcoming [2002]).

Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power, or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents (WHO, 1999).

Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violate the laws or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced by an activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person. This may included but not is limited to the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; the exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; the exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials (WHO, 1999).

Neglect and negligent treatment is the inattention or omission on the part of the caregiver to provide for the development of the child in all spheres: health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living conditions, in the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caretakers and causes, or has a high probability of causing harm to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. This includes the failure to properly supervise and protect children from harm as much as is feasible (WHO, 1999).

Emotional abuse includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, including the availability of a primary attachment figure, so that the child can develop a stable and full range of emotional and social competencies commensurate with her or his personal potential, and in the context of the society in which the child dwells. There may also be acts toward the child that cause or have a high probability of causing harm to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. These acts must be reasonably within the control of the parent or person in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Acts include restriction of movement, patterns of belittling, denigrating, scape-goating, threatening, scaring, discriminating, ridiculing, or other non-physical forms of hostile or rejecting treatment (WHO, 1999).

Commercial or other exploitation of a child refers to use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others. This includes, but is not limited to, child labour and child prostitution. These activities are to the detriment of the child’s physical or mental health, education, moral or social-emotional development (WHO, 1999).

Think about your country?!

Denial of justice continues for journalist on hunger strike

With no sign of improvement in the health of hunger-striking journalist Akbar Ganji since his transfer to hospital, Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage today at the behaviour of the judicial authorities in his case and held them responsible for his slow drift towards death.
"Ganji has been on hunger strike for 44 days and has lost two more kilos since his transfer to hospital on 17 July," the press freedom organisation said. "We are also very worried by Tehran state prosecutor Said Mortazavi's insistence that he undergo an operation requiring a general anaesthetic as the general medical view is that his state of health does not allow this."
Reached by telephone, Ganji's wife told Reporters Without Borders she has written to the head of the Iranian judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, requesting Mortazavi's removal from the case, the appointment of someone to prepare a detailed report on his state of health, and permission for him to be visited by three negotiators, who are his friends, to let them try to persuade him to accept treatment. She ended the letter by saying she held Shahrudi fully responsible for her husband's case.
Ganji's lawyer, 2003 Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, who has not been allowed to visit her client, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) she has "serious concerns" about his state of health.
In a letter posted on several Iranian websites on the day of his transfer to Milad hospital in northern Tehran on 17 July, Ganji said he had been threatened by Mortazavi, who told he was being taken to hospital "to put an end to the international pressure" and so that no one would be able to blame his death on the judicial authorities. ( Reporters without borders, 25 July 2005)

Iran: Leading Dissident’s Life in Danger

The life of Akbar Ganji, Iran’s imprisoned leading dissident, is under serious threat due to his illness and a month-long hunger strike, Human Rights Watch said today. Ganji, an investigative journalist who was sentenced to prison by the Iranian government in 2000, has lost more than 40 pounds during the past month.

“Human Rights Watch is extremely concerned for Ganji’s health. The Iranian judiciary’s refusal to release Ganji for medical treatment is cruel and inhumane,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

“It is a serious contravention of the most basic humanitarian standards, and the international community should strongly condemn it.” The Iranian judiciary imprisoned Ganji in April 2000 on vaguely worded charges, including “acting against national security” in connection with his participation at a conference in Berlin. He suffers from acute asthma that he developed in prison.

Iranian officials imprisoned Ganji shortly after the publication of articles he wrote documenting the involvement of high-ranking officials in the murder of intellectuals in the 1990s. The Iranian authorities have repeatedly prevented Ganji from receiving specialist medical care or taking medical leave as other prisoners are permitted. In protest of his unfair treatment, Ganji began a hunger strike last month, and has since sustained himself only on liquids.

Ganji has served nearly five-and-a-half years of his six-year sentence. Most prisoners in Iran are eligible for release after serving half of their sentence. Ganji is one of the Iranian government’s most forceful critics. In his writings, he has criticized Iran’s system of governance. According to his wife, the judicial authorities have pressured him to “repent” for his writings as a condition for his release. In a letter smuggled out of jail last week, Ganji held Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, directly responsible for his persecution.

Human Rights Watch is concerned that, in light of Ganji’s recent forceful criticism of the government, the Iranian judiciary may try to prolong his imprisonment by bringing new charges against him. The Iranian government frequently has relied on laws that restrict criticism of the government and its leadership as a basis for bringing charges against dissidents.

“After wrongfully imprisoning Ganji in the first place, the judiciary must not extend his imprisonment based on the opinions expressed in his recent prison letter,” said Whitson.

Human Rights Watch called on the Iranian authorities to release Ganji immediately for medical treatment and to end its persecution of peaceful critics and dissidents.

(New York, July 13, 2005 ,HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH)