A child dies every 5 minutes as a result of violence

20 November 2014. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that children´s rights have not been fulfilled when millions of children die of preventable causes, hundreds of millions are engaged in child labour and 11% of girls are married before the age of 15.

His Special Representative on violence against children, points out that a child dies as a result of violence every five minutes.

 Today on the Universal Children´s Day, the world celebrates the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. In his message on the Universal Children´s day, Mr. Ban uges innovative solutions, increase in resources and political will to invest in children and put their wellbeing at the centre of the political, economic and social agenda.

“We cannot say that the rights of all children are fulfilled when, despite our progress, some 6.3 million children under 5 years of age died in 2013, mostly from preventable causes; when 168 million children aged 5 to 17 were engaged in child labour in 2012; when 11 per cent of girls are married before they turn 15, says the UN Secretary-General on his message on the Universal Day of Children. 

In 1954, the UN General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. The date 20 November, marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

There is much to celebrate as we mark the 25th anniversary of the Convention, from declining infant mortality to rising school enrolment, but this historic milestone must also serve as an urgent reminder that much remains to be done. Too many children still do not enjoy their full rights on par with their peers.

Every five minutes a child dies as a result of violence.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais points out in a statement today that while many pressing challenges still remain, children’s rights are no longer peripheral to the development debate.

“While we rejoice in these achievements we also know humankind is failing many of its children, amongst whom are countless girls and boys exposed to violence, often in a pervasive, hidden and concealed manner,” says the Special Representative in a statement on the Universal Children´s Day.

”They are the children intentionally targeted in politically driven processes, drawn into organized crime, exploited for economic gains, groomed on line, disciplined through violent means, sexually abused in the privacy of their homes, neglected in care institutions, bullied in schools, stigmatized and ill-treated as a result of superstition or harmful practices."

Illustration: Elyx is a virtual character who looks at the world with interest and good humour. Created three years ago by the French artist YAK, Elyx is published every day on social media and has over 45,000 followers. Elyx does not speak, has no nationality, race or sex, and is therefore a universal character, comprehensible by all everywhere.

"Every five minutes a child dies as a result of violence. When confronted with the fate of these children, it is hard not to feel deep sadness, frustration and anger.”

Illustration: Elyx is a virtual character who looks at the world with interest and good humour. In partnership with the French artist YAK UNRIC is using Elyx to highlight a series of international observances.