21ST PAN AMERICAN CHILD CONGRESS

December 10, 2014 - Brasilia, Brazil

Minister Ideli Salvatti of Brazil, Secretary of the Presidential Secretariat for Human Rights,

Ambassador Eduardo dos Santos, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil,

Mrs. Erika Kokay, member of the Federal Congress,

Mrs. Angelica Goulard, representative to the IIN of Brazil,

Mrs. Zaira Navas, President of the Directing Council and representative of El Salvador,

Mrs. Elizabeth Louis, Vice-President of the Directing Council of the IIN and representative of Saint Lucia,

Distinguished Minister and High Authorities,

Mrs. Marta dos Santos Pais, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General,

Representatives of the Directing Council of the IIN

Director General of the IIN, Ms. Maria de los Dolores Aguilar and staff of the IIN,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Representatives of regional, international, inter-governmental and civil society organizations,

Children who are with us here today,

Ladies and Gentlemen,



On behalf of the Organization of the American States, I express my heartfelt congratulations to the Government of Brazil, which through its Human Rights Secretariat, has successfully organized this landmark event contributing to the follow-up and further development of the Rights of the Child in the Western Hemisphere.

I say landmark event because the General Assembly of the OAS has declared this Congress a Specialized Conference, which elevates this meeting to the rank of high-level Inter-American System meeting. Indeed this demonstrates the commitment of OAS member states to the safety and well-being of our citizens, especially our young citizens.

I thank the Government of Brazil, led by the recently re-elected President Dilma Roussef, for the continued commitment, support and leadership with regard to the well being of children, their position in society and in our communities and their fundamental human rights.

This commitment was also demonstrated when last week in this same capital Brazil hosted the 4th Meeting of National Authorities on the Trafficking in Persons, with special attention to the trafficking of children.

Today, as we inaugurate the 21st Pan American Child Congress, we also commemorate the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On November 20th this year we also commemorated the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. We cannot fail to mention these two events, which resulted in two instruments of international law that are among the principal benchmarks in building roads towards an America where the wealth of its ethnic and cultural diversity contributes to a culture of peace and full enjoyment of rights.

Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday we witnessed a fruitful dialogue of the IIN´s work, with the review and adoption of the Director General’s management report, which highlighted the many actions across the various sub-regions of our Hemisphere, and the lessons derived and from the experiences developed in the Americas. I extend congratulations to Mrs. Zaira Navas for her steadfast leadership yesterday on some difficult issues before the Directing Council. I also want to recognize the work done by the IIN, ably led by its Director-General Mrs. Maria de los Dolores Aguilar.

The Institute, as part of the Inter-American System, has acquired a recognized expertise in these areas and can greatly contribute and support member states in these areas. I believe that in these transformative times, the IIN needs to continue intensifying its efforts to become more inter-American in the sense that more cooperation, programs and projects are designed for and executed in collaboration with relevant counterparts in the Caribbean and Central America. I am pleased to note the high number and high level of representation of Caribbean nations in this meeting, and especially the Caribbean youth.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no doubt in my mind that the central focus of this meeting: Building Environments of Peace for our Children, must be of the utmost priority for all of those present here today. I am certain that this event, as promoted by Brazil, will act as a catalyst through which the Inter American Children’s Institute can bring together an array of strategic partners to forge a path for addressing and identifying solutions and strategies seeking to eradicate all forms of violence against our children and adolescents.

As many of you already know, violence against children can take many forms: from physical harm to exposure to gangs and organized crime to human trafficking and sexual exploitation. As modern democracies, we must all agree that this can no longer be tolerated in our societies-- and that it can only be stopped by the collective efforts of ordinary citizens, policymakers, governments and international stakeholders.

​As government officials, policy makers, human rights advocates, parents, teachers and community leaders, we have no other option but to ensure the full protection of our children and youth, not only through strong legal frameworks but also through well-crafted prevention and response strategies that will reduce the prevalence and use of violence against children, not just from a cultural but from structural perspective as well. It is clear that violence against children is largely preventable and as individuals we have a moral obligation to do what is in our power to protect our children from all forms of societal violence.

​As we review progress since approval of the Convention on the Rights of the Child some twenty-five years ago, we can see that significant efforts have been made in the area of laws related to children. But it is also clear from the evidence-based research and statistics available today, that we need to do more to protect our children from the ills of our society and from the societal and cultural norms which accept violence, exploitation and abuse of our children. Furthermore, many countries of the Americas continue to manifest high rates of inequality, poverty, violence, crime and, above, all social and political exclusion. This has a significant impact on the opportunities children of the region, who, ironically, are often proclaimed as the hope of the future.
​Ladies and gentlemen, according to the 2014 UNFPA State of World Population report, “There are more young people between the ages of 10 and 24 today than at any other time in human history.” Our world is now inhabited by 1.8 billion young people, with the fastest growing youth population in the poorest countries. These are overwhelming numbers which should not, cannot and must not be ignored by our societies and governments.

​Regretfully, despite the strides we have made, many disturbing challenges still remain. To illustrate this point, let me share with you a few telling facts:

• Latin America is one of the regions with the highest rate of per-capita incidents of sexual violence and a significant proportion of adolescents, girls and boys report having been first-time victims of sexual violence before the age of 15.

• Sadly, 5 countries of our region remain among the top worldwide destinations for sexual commercial exploitation of minors.

• Over 50% of Latin American and Caribbean adults – men and women – still consider the use of physical violence against minors as a normal form of punishment.
I would also be remiss not to mention the problem of gangs and the ensuing violence which is disproportionately affecting young people.

• In fact, the highest homicide levels among children and adolescents are found in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2012 alone, more than 25,000 homicide victims in our region were below the age of 20, representing about one quarter of all homicide victims worldwide.
According to a recent UNICEF report on strategies for ending violence against children, “Every year, roughly 6 in 10 children between the ages of 2 and 14, or nearly a billion children worldwide, are regularly subjected to physical punishment by their caregivers.” No child is immune. Those at risk cut across all boundaries of age, gender, religion, ethnic origin, disability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression.

Acknowledgment of these facts has prompted governments to adjust the protection systems across the region. Similarly, the States and a range of other stakeholders have carried out wide-ranging awareness-raising tasks in order to increase recognition of children’s rights. However, the success of these efforts cannot - indeed must not - in any way blind us to the fact that exposure to violence and abuse during early childhood will have a lifelong impact on our children and can be passed from generation to generation. Ladies and gentlemen, it is our duty to make every effort to break this inter-generational cycle of misery and abuse.

So I strongly believe we must seize the opportunity this Congress offers to generate a strategic discussion around prevention strategies and policies; in other words: How can our societies begin change mindsets, social norms, behaviors and attitudes that actually encourage violence and discrimination toward our children and adolescents. Ladies and gentlemen, this Congress has an unique opportunity to convey its conclusions to the preparatory process towards the 7th Summit of the Americas which will be held in April 2015 in Panama City, so that this matter can be added to the agenda of the leaders of the Americas in their deliberations.

I also believe that the results of this Congress should be inserted in the discussion underway with regard to the Special or Strategic Development Goals of the United Nations in the context of the post 2015 debate.

​So, given these realities and challenges, what action is required?

Without a doubt, what is required is for Governments, specialized national and regional agencies, international organizations, civil society at large, business communities, religious and cultural organizations, among others to see the value of investing and protecting in the future of this critical sector of our societies. It requires political will, policy and financial commitment, but also greater coordination among state institutions, community organizations and other stakeholders, especially the business community. We all need to foster norms and values in our homes and at work that will facilitate and enable peaceful environments for children, through adopting a culture of engagement, dialogue, understand and respect for children. Truly an whole of government and more so a whole of society approach is necessary to overcome the challenges we face.
We must acknowledge that violence against children is everywhere. It happens out of sight as well as in the open because of social and cultural norms. As public servants and advocates, we must engage the public and mobilize action, encourage our communities to be vigilant and report violence against our children. We must strengthen cultural attitudes and social norms that support non-violence.

Parallel to these actions, is the question of what can be done for more effective long-term protection of our children.
We all know that the most effective long-term solution is for Governments to substantially increase the national budgets for education, health and social well-fare. Without an educated and healthy population, no society or economy will reach its highest potential. The business community must see the benefit of skilled future labor and therefore financially support non-governmental institutions that focus on improving and protecting the lives of our children.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is only through sound public policies aimed at not only protecting children’s rights, but also creating opportunities for them, with the help from home, the counsel of parents and siblings, that we can create the best environment for our children to thrive and become responsible citizens. Youth, and in particular children, cannot be seen as a separate segment in our societies, youth symbolizes continuity of what we represent, they are an integral part of the social fabric.
We have to be conscious of the fact that if we do not provide for a balanced, open and safe environment our children will not prosper. Instead, they are likely to be confronted by a variety of problems, risks and exposure to environments which will not only impact them for life, but will close the doors to their full development and potential.
​Therefore I call on member states to implement the relevant conventions with resolve and vigor. I urge member states to create or fortify existing mechanisms and institutional frameworks to achieve the objectives of this Congress. We must seriously reflect on how to more effectively protect the rights of our children.
How do we meaningfully connect with and energize the specialized institutions and mobilize Government departments and institutions in our countries, making them committed partners in these endeavors? How can we foster a stronger inter-relationship with the programs and activities undertaken by the political, security and development secretariat at the OAS and the other parts of the inter-American system, such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the Pan-American Health Organization, to make the protection and safety of children and in a broader sense youth a cross-cutting issue?
​I call on Member states to share their experiences and challenges on the benefits and weakness of your current policies. This Congress should yield a wealth of knowledge, findings and debate, and drive and motivate governments to foster discussion on mechanisms to protect our children in the most comprehensive manner.

I am confident that the outcome of the Congress will not only promote the application of focused public policies with better diagnoses and clear targets but also an awareness that we must allocate more resources to developing prevention strategies and greater societal efforts to eliminate acceptance of violence and the exploitation of our children and adolescents.

​In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that every child has the right to live free from violence, fear and intimidation. Yet far too many live in unsafe environments and are exposed every day to circumstances that make their present unbearable and their future bleak. As member states, you have the power to transform their circumstances. It has been said that the true nature of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children. When our children are hurt, we, as a society, are diminished. When we work together to end violence in their lives, we rise to be the best we can be.

​Ladies and gentlemen, I want to reiterate that it is my profound conviction that we have a moral as well as legal obligation to our children and to future generations to lay the bases for them to thrive and live in peace, without fear of violence and abuse. We must dedicate ourselves to this task and continue to be strong in our resolve to fight forcefully and tirelessly against any obstacles threatening the life and dignity of our children.

​I thank you.