The South Asia follow up on regional consultation on the UN study on violence against children was inaugurated on the 28th of May, 2012 by His Excellency Tissa Karalliyadha, Minister for Child Development and Women’s Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka. Representatives from the SAARC countries, Child participants from all Member States, CSO representatives, other international partners and media from all the SAARC nations attended the meet.
In his inaugural speech, the Minister drew attention to the alarming statistics facing the SAARC countries in matters of violence against children, who face abuse, discrimination and violence in their homes, schools, work places and various other forms.
During the inaugural addresses, the leaders and representatives from SAARC countries reiterated that the regional consultation presented an opportunity to deliberate and discuss on the steps taken since the 2005 meet and to collectively pool in the wisdom from the countries to derive concrete and measureable targets for the future.
The aim of the regional consultation was to devise policy measures to eliminate violence in all forms against children such as corporal violence, child marriage, child trafficking, child labour, child sexual and physical abuse. The participants were unanimous in their observation that the social and economic cost of ignoring this phenomenon is significantly too high to be ignored by any government today.
During the inaugural ceremony SAIEVAC released the SAIEVAC Background and Journey Documents.
The event was organized by SAIEVAC Secretariat and was hosted by the Government of Sri Lanka with the support of the South Asia Coordinating Group on Action Against Violence Against Children (SACG) and in collaboration with the office of the SRSG on VAC.
Launch of the Campaign against Corporal Punishment
SAIEVAC also launched the regional campaign against corporal punishment. An exhibit corner was set up as a part of the campaign activity which displayed key information on the campaign such as posters, brochures and leaflets. Participants also expressed their support inline to ending Corporal Punishment in their respective regions by signing a signature book.
