دری پشتو دری پشتو

JOINT PRESS RELEASE;
By Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission and Save the Children Sweden-Norway 
On the occasion of 20th November, Universal day of children

Save the Children Sweden-Norway is a global movement for children�s rights and Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission is a national institution mandated to monitor, protect and promote Human right in Afghanistan.
Save the Children Sweden-Norway and AIHRC is guided by the fundamental values expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the UN Declaration on Human rights. Protection of children against violence and prevention of child abuse is a high priority for both organizations.

Afghanistan has signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC) in 1994. Despite the ratification of Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC), children still continue to face violence. The most prevalent types of violence in the country are physical and sexual, violence including humiliating, punishment, negligence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking, worst forms of child labour, early and forced marriage, gender-based violence and discrimination.
It is very obvious and clear that all forms of violence, abuse and negligence contribute to neonatal and childhood mortality, and play an active role in increasing of physical injury, disability and vulnerability of children, and poses risk to their physical, emotional, cognitive and social development.

The recent studies and research shows that the Afghan administration system and laws run counter to the CRC principles on several points. The best interest of the child, which is the core principle of CRC, is yet to be reflected widely in the Afghan legislations and administration.

The main points to be highlighted is adopting of necessary legal measures to protect children against all forms of physical and psychological violence, and preventing of discrimination and ensuring of appropriate educational conditions compatible to children�s dignity.

Therefore, in order to fully implement the international commitments and to ensure the best interests of children, the current legal and administrative system of Afghanistan needs to be revised and modified.

We believe that if we invest generously in Afghanistan�s children today, tomorrow we would have more peaceful, sound and safer Afghanistan. Today, while celebrating the universal day of children, we would like to call on the Islamic government of Afghanistan to consider the issue of children and response to the requirements of children as a top priority in its developmental and rehabilitation programs.