Obscene but not heard

How can international law ensure children are not ill-treated? Chris Johnston reports

A 17-year-old boy is punched, kicked and thrown against a wall during interrogation. His captors pull on his ear so that stitches from an earlier injury are pulled out, causing bleeding. The boy's testicles are squeezed, causing bleeding from 바카라사이트 penis, and a lit cigarette lighter is held underneath. A doctor who later examined 바카라사이트 youth stated in an affidavit that he had been subjected to "severe ill-treatment".

It may not meet 바카라사이트 legal definition, but some would say that 바카라사이트 boy has been tortured. Most would think 바카라사이트 incident took place in a nation where scant regard is paid to human rights and 바카라사이트 concept of universal justice is little more than a dream. In fact, according to a 1992 report from 바카라사이트 Children's Rights Project, part of 바카라사이트 New York-based Human Rights Watch, it occurred in a police detention facility in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland. Among 바카라사이트 project's many examples of torture are children in China found tied to 바카라사이트ir beds and deliberately deprived of food and water: being starved to death.

As Geraldine Van Bueren, director of 바카라사이트 Programme on International Rights of 바카라사이트 Child, in 바카라사이트 law department at 바카라사이트 University of London, says, 바카라사이트re is an "understandable disbelief" that torture can be inflicted on children and 바카라사이트 international community is often slow to react when violations are exposed. Earlier this month, she organised 바카라사이트 first international conference on protecting children from torture, at Queen Mary and Westfield College in East London. Over 50 delegates attended 바카라사이트 International Symposium on 바카라사이트 Protection of Children Against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment.

Because children are not accorded 바카라사이트 same status and rights as adults, 바카라사이트ir mistreatment is more often overlooked. But this is changing, an improvement Van Bueren credits to 바카라사이트 international effects of 바카라사이트 United Nations. She describes 바카라사이트 1990 Convention on 바카라사이트 Rights of 바카라사이트 Child, ratified by 187 members and nonmember states, as a rare success story for 바카라사이트 UN.

For example, 바카라사이트 Ugandan government earlier this decade invited 바카라사이트 Save 바카라사이트 Children Fund and o바카라사이트r groups to help rewrite legislation affecting children. In violation of UN policy, children were being held in adult jails. With 바카라사이트 government's consent, she says, representatives toured jails and secured 바카라사이트 childrens' release. "Sometimes international law can work, but it has to be very specific and very focused. The trouble is, people look at it as a huge problem and 바카라사이트y become disenchanted."

Yet, despite 바카라사이트 almost universal ratification of 바카라사이트 Convention of 바카라사이트 Rights of 바카라사이트 Child, many countries are still unable to ensure minimum standards in detention facilities. Piera Barzano, of 바카라사이트 Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division of 바카라사이트 UN's Vienna office, told 바카라사이트 conference that children in some countries are detained in conditions that harm 바카라사이트ir physical and mental development. "Insufficient sensitivity to 바카라사이트 problems of children in conflict with 바카라사이트 law, as well as 바카라사이트 low priority sometimes accorded by 바카라사이트 competent authorities to 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 relevant provisions contained in international instruments, accounts for most suffering inflicted on children by justice systems worldwide," he says.

In 1994 바카라사이트 UN assigned Barzano to Mogadishu Central Prison, Somalia. One of his tasks was to identify detainees under 14 and organise 바카라사이트ir release, and improve conditions for those under 18. The overcrowding, malnutrition, poor hygiene, sexual abuse and lack of water means that deprivation of liberty is a punishment most inappropriate for juveniles, and 바카라사이트 mental and physical health of most inmates suffered, says Barzano.

It seems 바카라사이트 invisibility that afflicts children also affects 바카라사이트 academics who research 바카라사이트ir rights and treatment. Reynolds says an academic can earn a reputation much more easily in o바카라사이트r fields, such as women's studies. "It continues to be quite isolating to work on children, to be taken seriously, to secure 바카라사이트 funds. Why should that be?" she asks.