Combating Violence against Girls
"Violence against children breaks our hearts as mothers and fathers. We want to protect our children. And what we wish for our own children, we wish for every child in the world. Where does responsibility begin? It begins here, in this room, with all of us. Where does it end? It doesn’t. We must do everything in our power to end all violence against all girls everywhere. "
Thank you Mr Khan.
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to welcome you all to this side event on combating violence against girls. I know that no week in the year keeps you busier than this Ministerial week here at the UN. And I know that everybody’s schedule is tight, even at this breakfast hour – that’s why I appreciate your presence here all the more! Let me thank my good friends and colleagues, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, for joining me in organising this event. I am delighted that Brazil, the US and the Netherlands have come together to raise awareness on such an important issue: the elimination of violence against girls. It is an issue that concerns us all. And we all have the power to do something about it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Seven years ago, the Netherlands was shaken by the story of four-year-old Rowena Rikkers. Parts of her body were found at various locations in the Netherlands, mutilated beyond recognition. Rowena died as a result of severe battery, after suffering continuous physical abuse at the hand of her mother’s boyfriend, with her mother’s knowledge. Two years later, our country was shocked again by the death of three-year-old Savanna. She, too, died at the hands of her caregivers after extended physical abuse. Their tragic fate seems too cruel to be true, and yet…it happened.
Unfortunately, all of us know of such tragedies. All our societies witness violence against children. Boys and girls grow up without the love and protection they deserve, in fear, with no place of safety and no place to play or learn. Sometimes we see them: on the streets, in sweatshops, in brothels, carrying guns they can barely lift, bleeding and crying. And sometimes their suffering is invisible to us. But we know they are there. Millions of them. Scarred for life.
Elizabeth Fritzl of Austria was held captive in the basement of her parental home for twenty-four years and had seven children by her father.
Jaycee Dugard of the United States was abducted eighteen years ago and resurfaced only recently. All that time, she had been held captive by her abductor, who fathered her two children.
Fawziya Ammodi of Yemen was forced into marriage last year and died in childbirth last week. She was only twelve years old.
Sakkubai of India was sold into slavery by her parents to repay their loans. She worked day and night until, at the age of eleven, she was rescued by a volunteer.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo rape is used as a systematic tactic of war and countless girls have fallen victim to this form of violence. Do these girls have names? Do they have faces? What does their fate mean to us? I commend the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Pillay, for her latest report on sexual abuse by army units in the DRC. We must act on it and not avert our eyes from these atrocities. The Netherlands is co-sponsoring the UN Security Council resolution on women, peace and security, to be adopted next week. It requests the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative to provide coherent and strategic leadership in order to address sexual violence in armed conflict. I hope his or her mandate will not just focus on women as victims of sexual violence, but that it will also actively promote their participation in ending violence and emphasise the invaluable contribution women make to peace and reconstruction.
Many, many cases of violence never make the headlines. The bulk of these stories go untold. We are grateful to have Mayra and Thandiwe here today to share their life stories with us. Mayra and Thandiwe are two winners of the International Children’s Peace Prize. Once you know their names, see their faces, and hear their voices, you will not be able to forget their stories. They will make an impact; they will propel us all into action. That’s why it’s so important to involve children, to listen to what they have to say, to hear their perspective. No one can walk away unaffected once a story has become flesh and blood.
Violence against children breaks our hearts as mothers and fathers. We want to protect our children. And what we wish for our own children, we wish for every child in the world. Everyone who has ever held a baby in their arms will understand what I am saying. New life is a miracle that should be treated with care and respect. As politicians, we have the ability to do something about this horrendous problem. We have the power to act. And we must. Three years ago, Professor Pinheiro studied violence against children at the request of the General Assembly. In his conclusions, he stated that no violence against girls is justifiable. It is easy enough to agree with that. But he also concluded that all violence against girls is preventable. How do we deal with that?
The international community has taken some meaningful steps since the publication of Professor Pinheiro’s study. Some of his recommendations have been implemented. But we can all do more, collectively. That is what I hope will come of this morning’s meeting: a renewed and broad commitment to eliminate violence against girls. This year is the twentieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Let’s all make this a meaningful celebration!
Earlier this year, the Secretary-General appointed Ms Marta Santos Pais as his Special Representative on Violence against Children. The Dutch government applauds her appointment. We will do all we can to support her in fulfilling her mandate. For a start, we have pledged to donate almost 1,2 million dollars . We also invite her to visit the Netherlands and report on the situation in our country, so that we can improve our record.
I call upon all of you to extend the same hospitality to Ms Santos Pais and to support her mandate in any way you can.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In the aftermath of the tragic deaths of Rowena and Savanna, emotions ran high in the Netherlands. We asked ourselves: could these tragedies have been prevented? Could child welfare institutions have done better? Would that have made a difference? Where did responsibility begin and where did it end?
It is estimated that every year, 100,000 Dutch children suffer from abuse or neglect. Not every case is as severe as the two I just mentioned. But the physical and psychological consequences of violence against children are extremely serious, both in the short and in the long term, both for the individual victim and for society at large. This raises the question: to what extent can the government exert control over what happens behind closed doors, in a private setting?
Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that governments must take all appropriate measures to protect children from all forms of physical or mental violence. The Dutch government took this article as its starting point in formulating new policy on child abuse prevention. We now have a special Minister for Youth and Families who coordinates our new approach. This new approach is centred around the prevention of child abuse. It includes campaigns aimed at raising public awareness about child abuse and encourages anyone who suspects abuse to take action. We are also investing in training for child welfare professionals. And we are unifying the reporting procedures on domestic violence and child abuse, which should facilitate effective action.
Stopping violence against girls is a top government-wide priority in the Netherlands. And our actions are not motivated by pity. We are under an obligation to protect and promote the rights of the child. We undertook this obligation when we signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Human rights apply to all people, in all places, at all times, including the world’s children. They applied to Rowena, Savanna, Elizabeth, Jaycee, Fawziya, Sakkubai and to so many more girls whose names and faces we do not know.
Where does responsibility begin? It begins here, in this room, with all of us. Where does it end? It doesn’t. Our responsibility never ends. But we must do everything in our power to end all violence against all girls everywhere. This day, this week, this year, we must let the world’s girls know that we have at last heard their voices. By acting together, and by acting decisively, we should ensure that their daughters can live the life that we wish for our own daughters.
Thank you.