Children's Rights

Popular Pakistani Singer Pushes for Corporal Punishment to be Made a Crime

By Zofeen Ebrahim
"He struck his head, his side, his stomach and went on hitting him. When Hunain said he could not breathe, the teacher slammed him against the wall, saying, 'Being dramatic are we?’" This is the eye witness account from a classmate of 17-year-old Pakistani student, Hunain Bilal, who was allegedly beaten to death by his teacher after he failed to memorise his lessons.

Children Increasingly Becoming the Spoils of War

By Beatriz Ciordia
Whether in Palestine, Ukraine or Somalia, wars result in millions of children threatened by the brutality of armed conflict.

Mexico’s Orphanages – Black Holes for Children

By Emilio Godoy
Homes for orphans or children in vulnerable situations in Mexico lack the necessary state regulation and supervision, which leads to scandalous human rights violations.

Burning the Future of Gaza’s Children

By Khaled Alashqar
"My child became blind and lost the ability to speak, his dad died and his three brothers are seriously wounded. He still has not been told about the loss of his dad,” says the mother of 7-year-old Mohamad Badran. 

Soaring Child Poverty – a Blemish on Spain

By Inés Benítez
“I don’t want them to grow up with the notion that they’re poor,” says Catalina González, referring to her two young sons. The family has been living in an apartment rent-free since December in exchange for fixing it up, in the southern Spanish city of Málaga.

Israel Criticised for Harsh Treatment of Palestinian Children

By Elizabeth Yousefi
In most countries, children are treated more gently by law enforcement than adults, with the right to have a parent present during questioning, for example. The situation is different in the Occupied Territories.
Eric Corvalán: “The 1975 family code was once cutting-edge, but it is now out-of-date.” Credit: Patricia Grogg/IPS

Q&A: Documentary Tackles Child Abuse in Cuba

By Patricia Grogg
“Child abuse merits a different, in-depth approach. The objective of this film is to make the problem visible and promote debate and reflection,” says Eric Corvalán, director of a documentary that required “breaking through walls.”

Building More Democratic Families in Argentina

By Marcela Valente
A wide-ranging reform of Argentina's civil code is looking to replace traditional concepts of parental authority and control with one of parental responsibility, while expressly prohibiting corporal punishment for children and adolescents.


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