Human rights activists say children's rights are not protected in Armenia
Human rights | 19.11.10 | 16:55
Photolure
Child Protection Network held a press conference on November 19.
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Yerevan-based members of the Child Protection Network (CPN), founded
to support children who end up in hard situations, stated at a press
conference on Friday that the issue of child abuse in Armenia is kept
behind closed doors.
November 19 is the International Day on Prevention of Child Abuse,
which is a social movement, created in 140 countries of the world.
Armenia has become a member of the movement since 2007. Twelve
organizations are working with children and families included in CPN,
founded in 2005.
`Our public prefers not to talk about violence, especially when it is
committed within a family,' says Tatevik Bezhanyan, manager of the
`Prevention of Child Trafficking in Armenia' of the People in Need
Organization.
Specialists state that no common methods have been drafted for
registration of child abuse cases in Armenia yet. The latest figures
from police are two years old, when 96 cases of sexual abuse of a
child were reported.
Mira Antonyan, Head of the Children's Support Center of the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR), says that child neglect is the worst case of
child abuse. Physical violence in families, by children of the same
age and even by teachers is in the second greatest concern, while
sexual harassments are a third. Physical abuse is loosely defined in
Armenia, where most parents and teachers still consider it normal to
slap or spank children who misbehave.
According to the statistics provided by the FAR Children's Support
Center, in 2008-2010, the overwhelming majority of 470 children who
had taken shelter in their the center, suffered from various abuse,
with 36 underage children suffering sexual abuse.
From: A. Papazian
Human rights | 19.11.10 | 16:55
Photolure
Child Protection Network held a press conference on November 19.
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Yerevan-based members of the Child Protection Network (CPN), founded
to support children who end up in hard situations, stated at a press
conference on Friday that the issue of child abuse in Armenia is kept
behind closed doors.
November 19 is the International Day on Prevention of Child Abuse,
which is a social movement, created in 140 countries of the world.
Armenia has become a member of the movement since 2007. Twelve
organizations are working with children and families included in CPN,
founded in 2005.
`Our public prefers not to talk about violence, especially when it is
committed within a family,' says Tatevik Bezhanyan, manager of the
`Prevention of Child Trafficking in Armenia' of the People in Need
Organization.
Specialists state that no common methods have been drafted for
registration of child abuse cases in Armenia yet. The latest figures
from police are two years old, when 96 cases of sexual abuse of a
child were reported.
Mira Antonyan, Head of the Children's Support Center of the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR), says that child neglect is the worst case of
child abuse. Physical violence in families, by children of the same
age and even by teachers is in the second greatest concern, while
sexual harassments are a third. Physical abuse is loosely defined in
Armenia, where most parents and teachers still consider it normal to
slap or spank children who misbehave.
According to the statistics provided by the FAR Children's Support
Center, in 2008-2010, the overwhelming majority of 470 children who
had taken shelter in their the center, suffered from various abuse,
with 36 underage children suffering sexual abuse.
From: A. Papazian